Book Two: Soldiers, Scholars, and Spies
by Tiffany Smithi
Summary: Book 2 of the Tassof Series. Tiffany and Fiona join the Vigil and the Durmand Priory, but soon they join the Order of Whispers on the side. After testing, they are sent to an academy run by an Agent to correct a problem. But when the first 'dungeon' goes wrong, can Tiffany handle the consequences, or will she hide within herself, trying to be normal? Will she ever be the same?
1. Chapter 1: The Priorities of the Vigil

SOLDIERS, SCHOLARS AND SPIES

* * *

Summary: A month later, Risen are appearing in Lychcroft Mere. The Vigil and Priory have arguments, but luckily the Tassof girls are on hand to be spectaculary surprising. Oh, and Fiona forgets that nobody knows that sylvari are 'byproducts' of Mordremoth... _oooops..._

* * *

Chapter one: The Priorities of the Vigil

* * *

 _Author's_ _Notes:_

Alright, this hasn't been done before... not in this story, at any rate. But I have not got any feedback on whether you want me to go details with the so-called 'Renown Hearts', so I won't, because it'll take a long time, and because I want to get to the good stuff of the _storyline,_ which is the reason I'm writing this in the first place. So. Time-jump to... you'll see.

And also, sorry for posting so late, but Falcon... apparently wants to copy me? And is writing a we-got-pulled-into-Tyria, only different. Anyway, he's horrible at spelling, grammar, and the general rules of writing. So he forced me (not really, but still) to sit down and correct everything he did using the awesomeness of Google Docs.

Anyway, go read Falcon's fic. His account name is Falcon Swiss. It won't be out for forever, because I keep refusing to correct his stuff in favor of this, but... he's on my fav authors list (he's my brother, of course he is even tho he hasn't posted anything yet...) so you'll find him here. It'll have the same style of writing as this, just because I like fixing things properly.

EDIT FROM THE FUTURE: First of all, Falcon never got around to writing his fanfiction.

Second of all, this, chapter fifteen, is now chapter one of Book Two of the Tassof Series. If you're here, you read chapter fourteen's author's notes, and know what I am talking about. If not, go back and read them. They're at the top of the story. So, hello chapter one!

If you are new to this story, and have not heard of _Tyria's Real!?_ then go read that. Otherwise, you will be terribly confused.

 _ **Okay, here's the story now:**_

* * *

The few weeks after the discovery of the sisters' parents' graves are relatively quiet - at least, relatively, for adventurers like the twins and the children. Tiffany and Fiona set out to explore Queensdale and Kessex Hills - or, the southwestern half of Kryta - in preparation for the Risen invasion of Kryta from the south, due to Kellach's being a fool. Ayla and Mat go with them, of course, and occasionally Katherine would come.

At first, they avoid any areas south of Triskell Quay when Mat and Ayla are with them, but as they discover the areas where Risen aren't a threat yet, they roam freely, helping people who need it.

The fact that Mat and Ayla are quite capable of doing the less dangerous tasks allows Tiffany and Fiona (and Katherine, on occasion) to focus on the hostiles of the area, and they explore lots of ground each day. Tiffany and Fiona find a place that 'sings' to them.

"It must be a... place of power," Tiffany observes. "Want to try for that signet?"

"Of course," Fiona shrugs. "I'm only power-hungry, is all," she says, grinning. "Magical power, to be exact."

"Fi, doesn't that amulet hold a ton of energy?" Tiffany asks.

"You're right, that should work. And it probably would, if we had any idea how to activate it."

"I get the feeling that power is meant to stay there," Deborah says thoughtfully. "I mean, it probably would have been used by now if it were meant to be used."

"Yeah, that makes sense," Tiffany frowns thoughtfully. "The idea of extracting the power just doesn't _feel_ right, you know?"

"Yeah. Power from magical locations it is!" Fiona says, nodding.

* * *

After two or three weeks of this, Tiffany and Fiona are enjoying traveling and helping people, and teaching Mat and Ayla things. Mat had gotten quite proficient at throwing stones, and aiming correctly, too. He is now practicing on a moving target, and with a sling, succeeding most of the time, as well. He carries a small pouch at his waist, and tries to kill any stray bird or rabbit that crosses the group's path, as practice. Ayla is okay with the stones, but not as good.

Occasionally, Tiffany and Fiona return to the bandits hideouts in Shaemoor, and quell the bandit population there, and anywhere else they discover a hideout, effectively granting the Seraph a chance to focus on the centaur war, rather than street crime.

* * *

While the cause of the Screaming Falcon's effective death remains unknown, Deborah has rejoined the Seraph as a regular soldier, and although she doesn't patrol the areas she used to, she is assigned duty as a 'free helper', which is basically just what Tiffany and Fiona are doing, plus Seraph authority. She remains heavily interested - and investing a lot of her time in - the search for clues as to _why_ , as she and the Captain have agreed the centaur ambush was highly suspicious, given the information they know.

The Tassof family and Tangwen visit every few days (and the boys drop in every night, generally at different times), which keeps the two girls cheered up considerably.

"I don't know _what_ we'd do if Tangwen and the rest of them didn't visit all the time," Tiffany tells Fiona one day. "At home, I'd jump every time the door opened if I hadn't seen Tangwen for over a week."

"I remember that," Fiona nods. "I'm glad they visit too."

The Tassof Team, as they come to be known, are very famous in the areas they roam, defeating centaurs, bandits, krait, skale, Risen and other things, besides just generally helping out.

One day, while the Tassof girls are in Garenhoff - in the southeast corner of Kessex Hills - getting supplies (Tiffany had seen arrows for sale that were sharper _and_ had barbed heads), a messenger approaches Deborah.

"Sergeant Tassof, Captain Thackeray has requested your presence," he tells the group, holding out a letter.

Deborah steps forward and takes the folded bit of paper. "Thank you, Corporal Jaheim. If you are returning to his office, do you mind telling him I'll be there quickly?"

"Yes, Sergeant," the soldier salutes and disappears in a blue puff of smoke.

Tiffany grins and nods at Fiona with an expression that clearly says 'that was _so_ cool.' Fiona smiles back. Deborah doesn't notice, frowning.

"He says he discovered important information... he doesn't want to disclose the matter in a letter... well, I should be off, girls. Behave yourselves, don't take Mat and Ayla to places with Risen or krait, and don't let any innocents die from the said monsters."

"Of course not," Tiffany says, pretending to look insulted. "I'd never let someone _die_ just because we weren't there in time, or any nonsense like that. You know we went out of our way to memorize all the waypoints. And we're not little kids, meaning you don't need to be babysitting us."

"Just saying," Deborah says, waving and vanishing with another blue cloud of magical dust.

The sisters continue their trek through Garenhoff, buying and selling and trading around the small town.

"Alright, Tiff, want to take on that krait den near Triskell Quay? Mat and Ayla are away, now's the best time."

"Sure. Overlake Haven?"

"It's the closest," Fiona shrugs.

* * *

Both girls reappear in Overlake Haven beneath the waypoint. As they head out, they wave to a few people they know.

"Where's Ayla?" a young girl asks them.

"He's not here today, sorry, Kari," Tiffany replies. "Her mother wanted her to do school today, but maybe she can come up tomorrow,"

As the two leave the haven and turn west, they settle into a light jog, progressing in companionable silence.

"Alright, underwater gear, ahoy!" Fiona says. "Boy, this trident is heavy."

"This _is_ the first time we've been in water, I'd expect you to say that," Tiffany says dryly.

"So, Tiff, what happens to your underwater pets? I mean, they don't just stealth and follow you around on land or anything, right?"

"Not unless they're amphibious, no. Beorn _is_ amphibious, as are drakes. A couple others, too. I suppose that if I charm, say, a shark, it'll stay in this body of water or any that he can access from here, and I'll only be able to call him if he can get to me."

"Would be nice if they could, like, _teleport_ or something."

"There are underwater waypoints, but... only a few. Like, maybe... two? That I know of, anyway. But Beorn is my primary companion - 'sides you and Deborah, of course - and he can go in water, so we'll be fine. I've also got Chevy."

"You named your pet drake _Chevy_? What's this, a play on American Pie?"

"Sure," Tiffany shrugs. "He breaths lightning, I could name him anything."

"And you chose Chevy," Fiona says flatly.

"Yep. Let's go kill some krait, free some quaggans or something," Tiffany says cheerfully.

* * *

That night, when Deborah gets back home, she was thoughtful.

"What's the matter, Debs?" Petra asks her.

"Captain Thackeray wants to me to investigate the Screaming Falcons' 'untimely demise' as he put it," Deborah says, fiddling with her fingers. "He gave me a couple of ideas, but as I was actually one of them he left the decision up to me as how to pursue the knowledge. I liked his suggestion of talking to Captain Tervelan, though, and so I went to Eldvin Monastery. He didn't seem at all happy to see me, but later on in the day - after I'd helped fend off a centaur attack - he told me there was a centaur camp to the east I can check out. I'll go there tomorrow."

Tiffany glances at Fiona. Fiona raises her eyebrows back at her.

"Deborah... how will finding that out help anything? You were just ambushed, right?" Tiffany asks carefully.

"You weren't there," Deborah says quietly. "They charged out of the trees, shouting and screaming. They... we couldn't pin their tactics. They were sidestepping our every move, they were much more coordinated than anything I've ever seen from a centaur, and the noise they made prevented our commanding officer from communicating the retreat effectively." she shakes her head. "It was obviously planned, and me and Captain Thackeray want to get to the bottom of it."

"Good for you. If you need it, we'll be there when you go for the centaur camp."

"I'd appreciate that," Deborah nods. "I lost some good friends in that ambush."

Tiffany grimaces. "We'll be there if we can, Debs."

Fiona nods.

* * *

The next morning, at breakfast, a letter arrives:

 _Countess Anise_  
 _Summoned to the Throne_

 _Heroes of Shaemoor, Tiffany and Fiona Tassof:_  
 _By the Will and Command of Queen Jennah of Kryta, you are hereby formally summoned to attend the royal presence. Make all haste to her throne room in Divinity's Reach, and you will be welcomed there. Until next we meet, may the Six Gods watch over you in all things._

— _Countess Anise_

Tiffany, upon seeing the letter, racks her mind for how to react - you don't just get a formal letter summoning you to the Queen's presence without _some_ sort of reaction. She settles upon being totally gobsmacked.

"Fiona... we've been summoned to the Queen's throne room immediately..." Tiffany says, staring at the letter.

Petra almost chokes. "You've been _what?_ " she demands when she recovers.

"We've been summoned to the Queen..." Fiona says faintly. "Why do you think?"

"I must say I have no idea," Tiffany says flatly. "It's been, like, a month or two since we did all that stuff with the Shining Blade. If she wanted to contact us about that she'd have done it then, not now."

"You should go do that," Deborah tells them. "I'll deal with the centaurs and Tervelan on my own."

Tiffany looks at her incredulously. "You think we were considering _not_ going? The Queen's summoned us! I mean - " she pauses, struggling for words. "What Krytan _wouldn't_?

"Countess Anise says 'make all haste', I'd assume that means... as soon as possible." Fiona says, catching herself before she said 'ASAP'. She grimaces at the things she needs to watch for.

"Let's go then. I'm done eating, personally," Tiffany tells them. "Beorn! To me!"

The two disappear in a puff of blue.

* * *

"Your Majesty," Tiffany says in greeting. "Countess Anise, Captain Thackeray. I was summoned?"

"Indeed, and I'm glad you're here, my friend." Logan tells them. "Kryta needs you once more."

"You know we love helping," Tiffany tells him. "What's the problem?"

"There's a swamp in southern Kryta called Lychcroft Mere. The area's been hit hard by our war with the centaurs." Logan tells the two. "Most of the lumber there goes to build catapults and defenses, so it's common practice to use strips of marsh moss instead of firewood on cold nights. However, the Seraph have brought me recent reports that Risen undead—servants of Orr—have been seen in the swamp. Many of them."

"We have encountered them, too, Captain." Tiffany answers. "Just not in so great numbers as you describe. People who live there are in danger - even normally. Me and my sister have tried to cull their numbers, but they just keep coming." The unspoken 'is there a plan?' hangs in the air.

"The three Orders of Tyria are pushing to be involved but can't agree on a plan." the Queen says. "While they bicker, my people are at risk. I have summoned you to act as Advocate of the Crown. I want you to meet with the orders and take charge of the situation."

"You'll be dealing with the Vigil, the Durmand Priory, and the Order of Whispers." Logan informs them. "All three specialize in fighting Zhaitan and its minions."

"You will have the full authority of the crown to handle this situation. If you accept this task, both of you will have equal authority, and I would advise you to consult each other before coming to any decision that needs to be made. Will you accept the task?"

"We will, Your Majesty," Fiona replies.

"We're honored to serve Kryta and our queen," Tiffany adds.

"Thank you."

"If... if I may ask, Your Majesty, why did you choose us?" Tiffany asks tentatively.

"Logan and the Countess Anise speak highly of you. I am confident that you will protect the people of Lychcroft Mere."

"Thank you for your trust, Your Majesty. Is there anything more we need to know about Lychcroft Mere?"

"Lychcroft Mere is at the very southern point of Kryta," the Queen replies. "You'll be meeting with the Orders at the tradecamp south of Viathan Lake. I am glad to see you are gathering as much information as you can before you begin."

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Tiffany repies.

"You mean Ireko Tradecamp? Me and Tiffany know the place," Fiona nods. "What about these Orders - the Vigil, the Durmand Priory, and the Order of Whispers?"

"The Orders study the Elder Dragons." the Queen replies. "So long as they stay out of politics, I allow them to operate in Kryta. Is there one in particular you want to know about?"

"I've heard of the Vigil and the Durmand Priory, but I've never heard of this Order of Whispers," Tiffany says.

"I have seen their agents working for the good of Tyria, and while I may not trust them, I recognize their contributions."

"We'll do our best, Your Majesty," Fiona tells her.

"I'm glad you are here, Tiffany, Fiona," Countess Anise tells them. "It is imperative that you resolve the situation in Lychcroft Mere. Lives depend on it."

"Thanks for taking on this problem, friends. I know you'll do what's best for Kryta." Logan tells them. "Village children go into the swamp to get firewood. If the Risen are in there, do everything you can to get theose innocents to safety."

"Children? With Risen in the area?" Tiffany says, alarmed. Logan only nods.

"Good luck, both of you," the Queen says. It is obviously a dismissal, and Tiffany and Fiona leave the throne room.

* * *

At Ireko Tradecamp, the girls wave at villagers happily. Tiffany smiles as a small child runs up to an older woman and presents his math trick.

As they enter a large-ish tent, the two girls see three people standing around. Tiffany can tell who is with which Order by their uniform - even if she hadn't already known who was who.

"Finally!" says whom Tiffany knows to be Josir. "Thank Dwayna, you're here. I am Scholar Josir, of the Durmand Priory. We've been expecting you."

"You're here to make decisions, and that's exactly what we need," says a shorter man - Ihan.

"For once, Ihan's right about something. I'm Hiroki, a crusader with the Vigil." says a woman dressed in silver and black.

Tiffany grimaces at the obvious quarreling between the Orders - she'd been used to them at least _trying_ to get along, before she'd been pulled into Tyria.

"The Risen forces are active in Lychcroft Mere," Hiroki continues. "There are missing villagers - mostly children. We've got to get soldiers in there! The Vigil has a squad standing by. They're ready to sweep the area on your signal. Just give the word."

"I'm sure that both of you can see that such an approach could only cause more problems." Josir says placatingly. "The Durmand Priory has a wondrous device called the "Mortis Verge". We believe in using intellect to fight the dragons. Saves on manpower, you know - and we have achieved some marvelous advancements."

"Your device is theoretical!" Hiroki accuses. "Untested! You want to risk children on that? Vigil steel is tried and true."

"Crusader Hiroki. Scholar Josir." Tiffany begins. "While the device may be untested, the Durmand Priory _is_ rather well-known for its brilliancy with new inventions, and their effectiveness."

"But - " Hiroki tries to protest.

"We're not saying that the device - the Mortis Verge - is a viable option," Fiona interrupts. "As you said, it _is_ untested, and we shouldn't risk children on such a device. Once proven, however... what did you say the device did?"

"It allows the holder to easily distinguish between the living and the Risen undead - and also confuddles the undead, making it harder for them to find you," Josir says promptly.

Tiffany frowns. "Even if it does work the way you say, after being tested, there is still a chance the undead _will_ the find the person holding it. For now, I believe that the best option lies with the Vigil's plan - what say you, Fiona?"

"I don't object," Fiona says, shrugging. "Although, a wise plan might be to use _both_ \- the Mortis Verge, while not tested, could still aid the Vigil's troops, and the children."

"I don't suppose you have any objections to working together?" Tiffany asks.

"Not at all, Advocate," Josir assures them.

Hiroki gives Josir a sharp glance before she, too, says she doesn't mind.

"Let's do it, then!" Tiffany says, clapping her hands once. "Unless, of course, the Order of Whispers has a plan?" she asks, turning to Ihan.

"No. We brought this to the Queen's attention, but we'll leave the frontline fighting to the others."

"Undestood," Tiffany says cheefully. "Let's go!"

"Lychcroft Mere is a dangerous place, even without the undead swarming about. I hope you're ready for it." Hiroki warns.

"Thank you for your concern," Fiona replies.

"I'll have the Mortis Verge on hand soon," Josir tells them excitedly. "Meet you at Shadowheart Site."

"The Vigil will meet you there, as well," Hiroki nods to the girls.

* * *

"Glad to see you two," Hiroki greets the two. "I wish I had better news, however. We've got a problem."

"Let's hear it," Fiona prompts.

"The Vigil squad sent to meet us had been overrun during the initial sweep of the swamp. The area's crawling with hostiles. The children are still out there, and now my soldiers are in jeopardy as well. It's down to us."

"Don't worry, Hiroki, we can handle ourselves in a fight," Fiona says, hiding a smile. "Let's go rescue your soldiers, and go find those children."

"Your courage does you credit. Vigil soldiers are well-trained, dedicated, and determined to defend Tyria. You'd fit right in." Hiroki informs them. "If my squad followed protocol, they'll have dug in to wait for reinforcements. We'll need to look for a makeshift bunker."

"Then that's what we'll do. Josir, you have the Mortis Verge?" Tiffany nods.

"Rest assured, Advocate. It's right here. And it's effects work in a comfortable radius, so only one of us needs to hold it."

"Great. You do that, the three of us will focus on the heavy lifting," Fiona instructs. "Let's go."

As the group makes its way through the swamp, the undead seem not to notice them.

"It's working!" Josir says, obviously happy.

"The undead don't gather like this without cause. I can only imagine what horror was behind this." Hiroki says worriedly, scanning the area for signs of a makeshift bunker. "Hurry, the children are in grave danger."

"It's hard to believe anyone could survive here for long," Josir remarks.

"There!" Hiroki says. "They've dug in there."

"Let's go rescue them, then," Fiona says matter-of-factly, heading that direction.

"Crusader! Thank the Pale Tree," says a sylvari that Tiffany knows is Tactician... somebody. "We're over here!"

"It's good to see you're still alive, Sarrena," Hiroki says. "What's the status of your troops?"

' _Sarrena_ ,' Tiffany notes.

"We found several children hiding in the swamp. As we were helping them, we were overrun. We dug in here to repel an undead attack." Sarrena reports. "It's not going well, Crusader. The Risen have pinned us down and inflicted heavy casualties. As the commander of this unit, I take full responsibility."

Tiffany blinks, before sighing and sending a look to Fiona that clearly says ' _when will I get over this crazy fascination with the word 'commander'?_ ' Fiona shrugs back at her.

"Remember your oath, Sarrena. Your soldiers swore to protect the innocent, and that's exactly what they did." Hiroki tells Sarrena. "We are the light in the darkness. The soldiers in your command died with honor."

"What do we do now, Hiroki?" Josir asks. "Head back out of the swamp?"

"This isn't over yet, Josir," Hiroki says, her eyes flashing. "Not while there are still people lost in the swamp out there. The mission will go on. The children are our top priority We'll hold off the undead, and when their lines break, we'll get the children to safety. Tactician?"

Tactician Sarrena turns and begins barking orders at some of the other Vigil soldiers.

"We'll take the center," Hiroki tells Tiffany.

"I can send scouts looking for other children," Fiona offers. "Due to the fact that they are illusions, the undead shouldn't notice them."

"That's great, but can they defend the children they are rescuing?" Hiroki asks sharply.

"Of course they can," Fiona says easily. "They're my main defense."

"You do that, Fiona. But stay here and help us defend the children already here, yourself."

"Got it. I won't be doing as much as I could, normally my illusions wouldn't speak and I generally filter out the sensory input, but I'll do my best."

"What's wrong, little one?" Vigil soldier asks a child as the squad prepares to defend the site. "Scared, or just green?"

"And what, pray tell, is wrong with being green?" Sarrena demands. Tiffany stifles a giggle. Sarrena is a sylvari.

"Uh... nothing, ma'am. It's just a turn of phrase."

"Turn your "phrase" to battle, soldier!" another recruit admonishes. "Here they come!"

"Alright, we've got this," Tiffany grins evilly as Fiona dispatches a couple clones to rescue any remaining children.

Tiffany draws the attention of any passing Risen with her bow, shooting one here and there and drawing them close to her. Beorn runs off out of sight, diverting more undead to her. Hiroki's blade flashes out and she is killing the Risen with the ease that comes with years of experience. Fiona is throwing a couple energy balls here and there, but overall is mostly focusing on her clones.

When a large amount of Risen are centered on her, Tiffany shouts for Hiroki to move out of the way. "Back! Back!" she shouts, swiftly dodging an undead sword. She tumbles out of the ring of undead surrounding her, and rains arrows down on the group, before dropping her bow and darting forward with her axes. Soon, the Risen group that had attacked them is decimated.

"Is anyone hurt?" she asks.

"Incoming! Incoming! Too many to count!" shouts an asuran Vigil soldier.

"You're a big help. What kind of asura can't count?" another soldier scoffs.

"Ready your weapons, not your sarcasm!" Hiroki snaps. "You heard the soldier, incoming!"

Much of the same continues for the next fight, and the next.

At last, the undead fall back.

"The undead are falling back!" Tiffany says, keeping her eyes peeled.

"This is our chance to get the children out. Soldier, what's Tactician Sarrena's status? Is she badly injured?"

"She's conscious, Crusader, but in a rough shape." the soldier reports. "I'm no expert on sylvari, but it looks pretty bad."

"Leave me. I'm not afraid to die." Sarrena tells them, sounding as if she was anything but. However, her next words actually seem to calm her. "I gave my oath."

"The Vigil doesn't leave anyone behind, Sarrena. You don't have permission to die, do you hear me?" Hiroki says sternly.

"I hear you, Crusader. And... thank you."

"We can go out the way we came in. Move fast, keep the children together, and don't stop unless you absolutely have to. Fiona, did your scouts find any more children?"

"A few, yes. But that's all. They're on their way back home."

"Vigil! Move out!" Hiroki commands.

"And stay close to Josir, so the undead won't attack," Fiona advises, seeming to re-focus on the goings-on. "The children are safe, Tiff," she adds.

They make their way swiftly out of the swamp, the undead basically ignoring them.

"Magnificent! The Mortus Verge worked!" Josir beams. "Perhaps not perfectly, certainly, but better than I had hoped!"

"This is why we didn't totally rely on the device," Hiroki reminds him.

Tiffany sighs.

"I can't belive we made it out. Sarrena, you're hurt," one of the Vigil observes.

"Don't worry about me. The children - "

"Worry about both," Hiroki cuts in. "Do what you can for her wounds, Owt. We'll carry her if we have to."

"Your quick thinking saved these children," Sarrena tells Fiona happily. "The Vigil could use a soldier like you two."

"Thank you for the compliment," Fiona replies. "Are you alright?"

"What? Oh, my wounds? Yes, I'll heal, thank you. We sylvari are a hardy race, even if we don't look like it."

"I'm glad you'll be alright. Get some rest," Fiona advises.

"You're my new hero!" a little child tells Tiffany. "I used to like the Seraph, but after I saw that man with the undead - I don't like them anymore!"

"Whoa, there," Tiffany cautions. "What Seraph?"

"The bad man in the swamp! He was wearing Seraph armor, and muttering to himself, and he was really scary. I think the undead came to talk to him."

' _Oh!_ ' Tiffany realizes. ' _That must be Kellach... but the Seraph really are good people..._ ' thinking quickly, she tries to reassure the child. "What's your name?"

"Benny," he replies.

"Well, Benny, I don't want you to repeat this to anyone, but that Seraph is possessed. All the Seraph except for him are good guys, but you are right, that one is bad."

"I won't tell," Benny answers with wide eyes. "You sure the other Seraph are okay?"

"Positive. Remember, Logan Thackeray is the leader of the Seraph. You really think all the Seraph are like that?" Tiffany asks.

"Really? One of the members of Destiny's Edge?" Benny asks, wide-eyed.

"Yep."

"I guess the Seraph _can't_ be bad, then," Benny decides.

"Good for you," Tiffany smiles at him.

Hiroki approaches Tiffany. "Without you, Advocate, my soldiesr and these children would have been lost. We all owe you our lives."

"It was my honor to fight with the Vigil," Tiffany replies.

"And thank you, Advocate, for ensuring all the children were found," Hiroki says, turning to Fiona.

"It was the least I could do," Fiona replies. "It's not like I'd have just left them there or anything."

"I'm just glad that both the Vigil squad and the children are safe." Tiffany tells Hiroki.

"We're safe, but I must make sure the healers tend to Tactician Sarrena's wounds. Luckily she's a sylvari."

"What do you mean?" Tiffany asks, puzzled, her mind racing as she wonders what it could mean.

"Sylvari aren't affected by Zhaitan's corruption like the other races," Hiroki explains. "Where we come back from the dead to serve Zhaitan, they simply die."

' _Oh. That._ ' Tiffany thinks, feeling stupid. ' _Of course that's what she was talking about. Of course, Tiffany Tassof, a commoner, wouldn't know that, so..._ ' "I've never heard of such a thing," she says carefully. "That's amazing... anyone know why?"

"It's a mystery, even to the scholars of the Priory," Josir inserts.

"Personally, I think the godess Melandru created the sylvari to fight by our side. They certainly are a blessing." Hiroki continues, ignoring Josir.

"Well, that's certainly - " Fiona starts, before Beorn jumps on top of her. "Hey! Beorn! Stop that!" after Beorn stops, she turns to Tiffany. "What'd you sic Beorn on me for?" she asks, mildly angry.

"Think, Fi," Tiffany says, tapping her temples.

' _I was just going to say that the Melandru idea is better than the fact Mordremoth made the sylvari..._ ' Fiona thinks confusedly. Tiffany raises her eyebrows at her sister's puzzled silence. ' _It's a well-known fact by now... oh wait..._ ' Fiona's eyes go wide, and she nods at Tiffany.

Tiffany represses a snort and shakes her head. ' _Way to go, sis, a month and a half in and you almost spilled our one secret..._ '

Hiroki and Josir are looking at them confusedly. Tiffany sighs. "That's certainly an interesting insight," she tells Hiroki.

Hiroki looks at Tiffany and Fiona puzzledly. "There's a meeting of the Order's representatives in the Salma District later this afternoon, to discuss the Risen problem."

"We'll be there, Hiroki." Tiffany tells her.

Hiroki nods and turns away to ensure the children each get to their own homes.

Tiffany sends Fiona a look that clearly says ' _we're going to talk.'_

"Let's go home and tell Petra and Andrew - and Deborah, if she's home - what the Queen wanted us for?" Fiona asks quickly.

"Come on, then!" Tiffany agrees lightly. Both girls vanish in a puff of blue.

* * *

"Oh, you're back!" Petra says, when the two enter the inn.

"No customers today?" Tiffany asks.

"It's a slow day, plus it's the middle of the afternoon. Most people are off at work or something," Petra shrugs. "Not much use for an inn at daytime, you see."

"Of course," Tiffany says easily. "Now, where's Andrew? And is Deborah home?"

"She got back a bit ago, fuming about how Captain Tervelan was a traitor. I don't know what she's talking about, but I know Tervelan was the commanding officer of her area. She's in her room."

"I'll go get her," Fiona volunteers. Tiffany's sharp glance follows her to the doorway. ' _Don't let anything slip, Fi..._ ' she thinks with a sigh. "Andrew's in the cellar?" she asks.

"Yeah. You can go get him?"

"Okay. _Andrew!_ " she hollers.

Petra rolls her eyes.

"You're back?" Andrew asks, coming up the stairwell.

"Yep. Wanna hear what Queen Jennah wanted?"

"Sure. Slow right now anyway."

"Slower than usual, or what?" Tiffany asks. "You both keep mentioning it."

" _Nobody_ 's here, Tiffany. There's usually one or two," Deborah says, entering the room. She seems slightly grumpy.

"So there is," Tiffany says cheerfully. "So, Fi got you up-to-date in half a minute or should I give you the long version?"

"Please," Deborah snorts. "She didn't even spare me the short version."

"I'll give it to you, then," Tiffany says mischeivously. "the Queen made us her representatives in dealing with Risen activity in Lychcroft Mere. You know the place?"

"That creepy swamp? Of course," Deborah says. "Can't say I'm surprised that's the first place the Risen make their appearance, it's near the only pass southward, and it's already creepy."

"So, the Queen made us her representatives, and we had to decide whether to rush in the swamp with a bunch of soldiers to rescue the children who were lost, or use an untested device and sneak them out. Guess which we chose."

"Soldiers?"

"Mainly, yes. We did have the Mortus Verge with us, for added protection. We defied expectations and did both. Yay us." Tiffany says dryly. "We saved the children, and later, there's a meeting just down the street with all of them to discuss the Risen menace in southern Kryta... Now, Deborah, what's your story?"

"Y - you can't just leave us hanging like that!" Deborah sputters. "The Queen made you the _throne's representative_? Why?"

"Why?" Tiffany repeats, amused. "Well, apparently Captain Thackeray and Countess Anise spoke highly of us, or something of that sort. Although, _where_ they'd get the idea to give us _that_ high of a recommendation... " Tiffany shakes her head.

"Now, tell us what you did, Deborah." Fiona repeats.

"Fine, fine," Deborah says, rolling her eyes. "So, first, I met up with 'Captain' Tervelan's 'squad'," she makes quote marks in the air with her fingers on 'captain' and 'squad'. "to take out the centaur camp. He only sent an old friend of mine - Bigsby, I think I mentioned him?"

"You did," Tiffany nods. "He's the one who wasn't part of the Screaming Falcons, right?"

"Right-o. Anyway, we were both understandably angry at the 'Captain', but we went ahead anyway. We defeated the centaurs, and I found an old journal, listing survivors of the ambush. Now, 'Captain' Tervelan had said there were no survivors - save me, obviously - but we know definitively that's not true, and this notebook is proof. I'd had my suspicions, especially after meeting the chap, but now I know Tervelan's a traitor, I just wasn't sure how. So I came back to Divinity's Reach and told Captain Thackeray about it, and we went to go confront 'Captain' Tervelan. He ordered the Seraph around to kill us - kill Captain Thackeray, like that'd work," Deborah snorts, " - and some of them listened, and some didn't, and we defeated the ones who did, and went after Tervelan. He eventually gave up, and we took him prisoner. He confessed he'd sold out Falcon Company because of - because of political intrigue!" Deborah clenches a fist. "That utter _traitor_! Captain Thackeray put him under arrest, and then we went to tell Queen Jennah that Minister Arton was pulling his strings, and put _him_ under arrest. And then I came home."

"Captain Tervelan sold out Falcon Company?" Tiffany asks, angered. Of course, she already knew this, but... "Why would he do such a thing?"

"Oh, the usual rubbish. 'Oh, there weren't enough supplies for my troops. Sacrificing them got the attention I needed to supply the _rest_ of my command, the loss of Falcon Company is acceptable, because the rest of the country is safer...'"

"Yeah, that's rubbish," Fiona agrees. "I mean, that's what _asking_ is for..."

"Well we've got nothing to do for fifteen minutes until the Orders meeting," Tiffany says. "Want to organize a neighborhood 'Monster Deborah' game? Or, we need to give it another name..."

* * *

 _Author's Notes:_

How do you like it?

I seriously feel like I rushed the whole 'dead parents' episode...

And in case anyone is curious, I'm going to be mainly focusing on the storyline. Most of the exploring and 'doing hearts' is going to be in time-skip fashion, like at the beginning of this chapter. I also hope I put in a reasonable amount of time. Four to eight weeks sounds reasonable to me, although I seriously hope it fits in to the whole 'levels 1-80 occupy one year of in-game time' thing that seems to happen. If it _doesn't_ work out, I'm not going to bother changing everything, I'll just pin it on the fact that they've _changed_ stuff.

Also, I'm honestly terrified. How am I going to do Destiny's Edge? It's honestly too OP to have them get together at first meeting just because Logan thinks things over, I mean really. So how am I going to do dungeons?

Dungeons'll be hard just because they're mostly DE-oriented, and I don't know how I'll handle having both me and Tiff remain inconspicious and let them work out their differences. It's not like we could push them together with words, they'd realize what was going on and that's not good because... well, it wouldn't work. It only works if they don't know what's happening. So me and Fiona'll have to just stay out of the spotlight. Or something.

I asked Fiona for permission to have her representative in this story slip up about the Mordremoth thing, and she honestly would have said that, irl. That's because she doesn't know that _nobody_ knows about Mordremoth, but since she's terrifyingly versed in lore (honestly, every time I talk to her about anything _not_ related to this fic, she groans and waves me off with a 'yeah, yeah, yeah, guild wars, blah blah blah, not again, go away' or some variation thereof. Except she'd be utterly awed and behave mostly like in-fic Fiona if it actually happened, so... whatever. (No, whatever _you!_ )

Long A/N _again_... oh well.


	2. Chapter 2: The Orders of Tyria

SOLDIERS, SCHOLARS AND SPIES

* * *

Summary: A meeting of the Orders, wherein it is decided that, once again, the Tassof sisters will break the bounds of... the bounds of Anet. But, you already knew that.

* * *

Chapter two: The Orders of Tyria

* * *

 _Author's Notes:_

Hi guys! I am seriously bored. I don't feel like writing this chapter. Because _all_ I want is to get on to where Logan is called to Lion's Arch by Caithe to try and get DE back together... I'm grumpy. But then, I think how I need to get this done to do that, and I'm slightly more motivated... and by the time you see this note, it won't matter in the slightest except the annul your anger that I waited a million years to post... ehh.

I'm desperate! Reviews... to boost my morale. Honestly, I feel more like writing A/Ns than like writing the actual story. Just tell me you like the story - that one Guest who said 'AMAZING! Great writing!' cheered me up considerably. But all I have is those three or four - because I totally _don't_ count Falcon and Fiona's reviews - and I need encouragement. I ask questions - like, how much time do you think there is 'tween level twenty and level thirty - and when I get to the point where I need the answers, I don't have them and I make a choice. I also don't know what you like/don't like about the story so I can fix it! For example, is there too much of the Earth Tassof family in it? Is there too much of the Tyrian Tassof family in it? Would you rather I skip the hearts, or do them in detail? Would you rather... you know! Stuff I need to hear!

I totally feel like Tiffany is taking the spotlight. Like Fiona is kinda fading out the story, just tagging along like a sidekick. Tiff, this is _supposed_ to be a story where there are _two_ main characters! Maybe I can't write such a thing? But I try! It's just, this story is trying to be realistic to me and Fiona, and Fiona is actually younger than me (we both know it, even if to everyone else we're twins) plus I have a wealth more of knowledge about Tyria than she does. So when I give her the spotlight for a while, it's out of character. Darn.

This is a loong chapter.

 _ **Okay, here's the story now:**_

* * *

Tiffany and Fiona approach the intersection where the Orders' representatives are meeting.

"Look, Tiff. Captain Thackeray is there," Fiona tells Tiffany.

Tiffany frowns thoughtfully. "From what I remember, it's mostly Josir, Hiroki, and Ihan - and possibly us - doing the talking. Hey, Fi, do you suppose somebody - probably Falcon or someone - will write a fanfic about this sometime? That'd be cool."

"That it would. And he could insist all he liked that it's real - but nobody'd believe him."

"Nope," Tiffany agrees, nodding.

"We need to deal the undead a decisive blow. Remove the army, and we remove the threat." Hiroki is telling Ihan.

"There's an intelligence to their movements." Ihan counters. "We need to discover the root of the problem - not just follow them from fight to fight."

"At the cost of lives?" Hiroki demands, angry. "The undead are attacking now. If we sit idle, people will die."

As the two watch the representatives argue, Logan approaches them.

"Queen Jennah said you'd be able to soothe their ruffled feathers. For your sake, I hope she's right."

"We'll do our best," Fiona says.

Tiffany wonders what he means by 'for your sake', but keeps it to herself.

"The representatives reported your success. Well done," Logan tells them.

"Thanks," Tiffany smiles. "The Risen are still a problem, though."

"I'm told the children saw a Seraph soldier in the swamp," Josir tells them. "Their stories were quite appalling. They were as frightened of him as of the undead. They say he's become violent and incoherent. They also say the undead weren't attacking him."

"There aren't any Seraph outposts in Lychcroft Mere," Fiona points out.

"According to the Seraph reports, a corporal named Kellach didn't report for duty." Logan informs them. "I'd assumed he was AWOL in Lion's arch, but maybe there's more to it."

"Could Kellach be under Zhaitan's influence?" Tiffany asks.

"We don't have time for theories, Advocate," Hiroki says. "Vigil scouts marked more undead approaching the town of Triskell Quay. The corruption is spreading."

"If so, then Triskell Quay is just a symptom." Ihan speaks up suddenly. "Whatever's drawing these undead inland will continue to do so, even if we save the town. We should investigate what happened to Kellach. He may be the key to these attacks. Until we know what's going on, we're just plugging leaks."

"You want to go on a wild goose chase, Ihan? Fine." Hiroki says. "But _don't risk Triskell Quay!_ We need soldiers to defend the town, or people will die."

"A few will die now, but we'd be saving many in the long run. The Order of Whispers is prepared to make that exchange."

"It's a good thing the decision's not up to you two," Logan says dryly.

"I'm on Ihan's side," Tiffany tells them. "As much as I don't want Triskell Quay to be destroyed, as soon after the next town will be threatened, even further north. Even if there _weren't_ any civilians further north, the Seraph can't deal with this right now. They're in the middle of a war with the centaurs, there's no way they can handle a Risen invasion right now. It's up to us to keep them at bay. And while finding out what happened to Kellach might help that, it also doesn't help the immediate spread of undead inland. You are both different Orders, you've never curbed your abilities because of each other before. One of you can track down Kellach, the other can defend Triskell Quay and any other settlements the undead decide to target."

"You know, even if Kellach is the problem here, Risen that aren't being drawn here by him will come eventually." Fiona remarks. "Zhaitan won't be content with Orr for long, and the asura and sylvari along the Tarnished Coast are already fending them off. Who knows how long it will be before Zhaitan comes after Kryta? We should take this as a wake-up call, to begin preparing for this. If all it takes is one possessed human, even as far away as the Risen are now, how long will it be before the limited amount of space on the Tarnished Coast can't hold all the Risen, and they spill over - in number - to Kryta, and wipe out the human race? Kryta is in danger, we can't deny that, but we _can_ prepare."

"Good point, Fiona," Tiffany says, surprised. ' _This is the girl that let almost let slip about Mordremoth earlier? She injected enough doubt in her sentences about Kellach to make it seem she didn't know for certain - which they think we don't - but nobody can deny Zhaitan's a threat, even without our 'future knowledge.''_ "For now, we need to worry about Kellach. After that... "

"The Vigil can enact their plan to protect Triskell Quay, Hiroki." Fiona summarizes. "I will go with you. The Order of Whispers can enact their plan to track down Kellach, and Tiffany will be with you on that one, Ihan. Let's move."

Hiroki and Ihan salute.

"Meet me at Triskell Quay, Advocate," Hiroki tells Fiona.

"I'll look around Overlake Haven. Kellach was heading that direction last we heard of him," Tiffany tells Ihan, rushing off before he could speak.

Ihan shakes his head and waypoints to Overlake Haven, leaving a message with Lionguard Keene.

Near Triskell Quay, Fiona meets up with Hiroki.

* * *

"It's worse than we feared," Hiroki reports. "Zhaitan's minions are everywhere."

"That's a lot of Risen," Fiona says. "Let's get down there and exterminate them."

"I sent our soldiers ahead to drive back the undead. They'll need our help."

"Let's not waste any time, then. Let's go," Fiona replies, heading further into the town, clones popping up in her wake.

Fiona stands back and lets a couple greatsword-wielding illusions take the brunt of the Risen's force, while she and few other clones toss energy orbs into the midst of the Risen, occasionally granting a boost to Vigil soldiers in the fray. Occasionally she pushes back all the Risen to give her clones breathing room, but other than that they fare well.

Hiroki enters the mob of Risen with her blade flashing. She ducks under Risen-held swords and gets inside their arms' reach to lop off arms and heads, and she evades attacks with precision.

The Seraph in the town are battling undead ferociously, and Fiona espies the one Screaming Falcon her and Tiffany had rescued from the bandits twirling about as elaborately as Deborah had done, decimating the Risen in his wake. Fiona flashes the man a smile as she adds more energy orbs to the mix already flashing around.

"Alright, it's time for some chaos," Fiona whispers to herself. She calls down a magical storm, closing her eyes for the duration, fixing in her mind what she wants to happen. Vigil, Seraph and villagers feel rejuvenated, and strengthened, and they move more quickly, whereas the Risen forces stumble and grow weaker, and aren't as fast. Magical energy eats away at their bodies, releasing a magical charge in the air.

"Back!" a Vigil soldier shouts, a blast of lightening shooting from his outstretched hand at a clump of Risen in the center of the magical storm. The lightening electrocutes the Risen it hits, but lightening fritters through the magically-charged air, decimating all Risen caught within the storm.

Fiona, panting with mental effort, ends the magical storm - all the Risen there are done for, anyway, as the Seraph and Vigil fall upon the still-weakened Risen, cutting them down.

Fiona pauses. "Hiroki, is that all the undead?" she calls

"I think so," Hiroki answers cautiously, looking around.

"We were in real trouble until you showed up," a Seraph soldier tells them. "I'm Captain Rendar, leader of the Seraph force in the area."

"How did the attack start?" Fiona asks, still looking around for any sign of Risen.

"The first thing I saw was Corporal Kellach, screaming and cursing." the Captain tells her. "Then the undead started swarming and I lost track of him."

"Kellach. You know him?" Hiroki asks.

"Do I know him?" Rendar says in mild surprise. "Sure. Kellach's assigned to this post, but he's been missing for days." His forehead creases in concern, and he mumbles under his breath about how it's not like him. "Look, I don't want to get him in trouble... Kellach's a good soldier, and a good man. He probably just overstayed his leave."

"Any ideas on why?" Fiona asks him.

"It's probably that pirate girl. I don't know why he was looking for her," Rendar says with a shrug, "But he mentioned her a couple times just before the undead came here. I bet she did something to him."

"Pirate girl?" Fiona asks.

"I think he said her name was..." Rendar pauses, trying to remember. "Alastia, that's it. He was probably talking about Alastia Crow, she's crew of a ship docked southeast of Nebo Terrace."

"We'll figure out what's going on with these Risen, Captain," Fiona assures him.

* * *

Meanwhile, Tiffany is fighting abominations at Black Haven.

She takes a stealth-powered arrow - which she keeps a good stock of - and fires at a near-dead Risen thrall, killing the smaller Risen and stealthing. She pulls out her knives and dodges up a stone staircase, scrambling to the rampart that circles the tiny fort. The abominations' heads, themselves being huge, were almost as high as the ramparts, leaving Tiffany (if she cared to use it) with a step down in the form of a Risen head.

Critically analyzing the abominations' movments, she concludes that they are pretty much trolls - slow-witted, gigantic hulks carrying gigantic clubs, and therefore risks in the form of mass damage and death. She runs around the rampart to the side of the enclosed courtyard farther from the abominations, and, with careful aim, she throws a steel dagger coated in poison from shatter-proof vial hanging at her side.

She aims for the eye, as the abominations are facing her. It's a tricky throw, as the abomination is looking downward at the smaller Lionguard dancing around it's legs. But she manages, and the odd angle just lodges the knife into the skull of the hulking terror. Its thrashing around in blinded pain just yanks the knife around in it's skull, killing it.

Tiffany smirks and repeats the process for the other abominations.

"I owe you one!" a Lionguard tells her as she scrambles down from the stone wall. "I've been in the Lionguard for ten years and I've never seen anything like that."

"No problem," Tiffany tells him. "I'm glad I could help."

"Was there a Seraph soldier among the undead?" Ihan probes.

"Not among the Risen, but there was a Seraph that came along just before that. Wild-eyed fellow, kind of twitchy." the Lionguard tells them. "He was talking to himself the whole time, that's why I remember. Muttering about Orr, and dragons, and somebody named Alastia Crow."

"Crow? She's a seer," Ihan informs them. "The pirates in the area go to her to find out what the weather'll be like. She's crew on a ship docked near Nebo Terrace*. The Order of Whispers sometimes contacts her to predict the future. Maybe she saw something that drove Kellach mad."

"Whatever happens, we'll make sure this Risen influx goes down," Tiffany says determinedly.

"I like the way you think, Advocate," Ihan tells her. "I suppose we should get back and share this information with Hiroki, Josir, and your sister."

" _Fiona_ and Hiroki should be done at Triskell Quay by now," Tiffany agrees, putting a slight emphasis on her sister's name.

By the time Tiffany and Ihan got back to the Salma district, Fiona and Hiroki had yet to arrive. Meanwhile, Josir and Ihan had gotten into an argument.

"Alastia Crow had a rare talent for precognition. I wonder what Kellach wanted to know?" Josir wonders.

"Whatever it was, I think the information drove him mad." Ihan says. "I'm surprised that doesn't happen to more Priory scholars, too."

Tiffany sighs and opens her mouth to speak, but Josir beat her to it.

"Clearly, the Order of Whispers has no respect for pure research," Josir scorns.

"Both of you, stop!" Tiffany commands. "There is no reason to be arguing like this! Both of your Orders have the same mission - killing the Elder Dragons, if possible. Why do you argue so much? I mean, sure, the Priory does a ton of research, but is it ever put to any use?"

Josir blinks at her. "Everything we find is recorded in the Priory archives and - "

"Exactly." Tiffany challenges. "It's there for people who want to look for it, and certainly most Priory historians know what's in there, but for everyday people? It's not. Nobody except people who are already members of the Priory or who are specifically looking something up really care about the Priory archives. No offense, but still. If the Order of Whispers, or the Vigil, had a bunch of learned historians from the Priory advising them on _how_ to fight the dragons, then who knows? We might actually get something done against them, for once! You know how big a threat Zhaitan is, both of you!"

Ihan and Josir are stunned into silence for a moment. Tiffany takes the silence to continue.

"And how are we to get anything done if we don't have a large military body like the Vigil? Sure, they are sufficient in and of themselves, but if the Order of Whispers was providing them with knowledge so they knew precisely _where_ to attack, they could do so much more! You can't win a war on stealth alone, you know." Tiffany informs them. "The reason why the other Orders - the Vigil, for example - _don't_ know everything the Priory does, is because they don't have the time or resources. They know manpower is a vital part of winning anything, and they don't have the time, after putting manpower and training first, to look through the Priory archives. Same goes for the Order of Whispers. The Priory is dedicated to knowledge first, and doesn't have the time for the things the Order of Whispers and the Vigil does, and Whispers people don't have time for the things the Priory and Vigil do."

"Those are some interesting insights, Advocate," Logan says from the side, having watched Tiffany's heated lecture with some amusement.

"And if they _did_ have the time, they wouldn't." Tiffany says, acknowledging Logan's words with a nod. "Guess why? Because your Orders are _constantly_ arguing and disparaging each other. 'Clearly, the Order of Whispers has no respect for pure research,' ' _For once_ , Ihan's right about something,' 'I'm sure you can see such an approach would only cause more problems.' 'We belive in using _intellect_ to fight the dragons...' and you've all been dropping comments about how your Order is better at dealing with things than the others. Frankly, I can tell why you all want nothing to do with each other. You're not _communicating_ in the slightest. There's no way we can defeat the dragons if the three most important facets of the war are against each other - ancient knowledge about an ancient enemy, current knowledge about the enemy's current plans, and the manpower to act on that knowledge. Communication is _key_ , in _everything_ , people! You can't win a war without communication." Tiffany shakes her head.

Logan is nodding slowly. He agrees with most everything Tiffany had just pointed out.

"Quite the inspiring speech, Tiff," Fiona says. She and Hiroki had arrived some time ago, and were just listening to Tiffany rant.

"It's all true," Tiffany retorts. "I mean, it's not like we could do anything without talking. I mean, even pure melee fighting requires _some_ communication. And the rest of it you can see just by having been around the Orders this long."

"You have made some good points, though." Fiona presses.

"I know, that's why I said them." Tiffany replies, rolling her eyes. "If I was just going to say something like 'hey, stop arguing! Stop! Stop!' there would've been no need to say anything, _nobody_ listens when somebody else tells them to stop arguing. I _do_ watch what I say, contrary to what you might think."

Fiona snorts. "Whatever. And don't start that up again. Let's get on-topic. We didn't find Kellach, but we found he's connected to a pirate named - "

"Alastia Crow," Tiffany interrupts. "Same here. Muttering about her under his breath, right?"

"Right. We should talk to her and see what she knows," Fiona agrees.

"Talk with her? I'm afraid that's impossible," Josir says. "She's dead. Her pirate ship, the Ravenous, was destroyed by an undead attack two days ago."

"She's dead, huh?" Tiffany mumbles.

"Even if she's dead, Alastia was a seer. She might have seen this coming, and left behind something we could use." Ihan thinks aloud.

"A few of crew are still alive, camped near the wreckage of their ship. She might have told them more about what's going on."

"Pirates don't tend to be trusting folk. I think some infiltration is in order," Ihan proposes.

"The Order of Whispers is a disreputable, shady bunch. You and the pirates would get along just fine," Josir tells Ihan. Tiffany facepalms. "I have a better suggestion," Josir continues. "Even if Alastia Crow is dead, she can still be helpful. I know an accomplished Priestess of Grenth who could summon the pirate's spirit."

'Better suggestion?' Tiffany mouths incredulously to Fiona. ' _They don't listen, do they_ ,' she thinks with an internal sigh.

"The Durmand Priory's 'better suggestion' is to disturb the dead?" Ihan says, loudly incredulous. "You scholars really will turn over every rock to get your answers - even tombstones."

Tiffany sighs. "Again, both of you. Much as I appreciate Ihan's dry humor, it's not getting us anywhere. You're _still_ insulting each other's Orders and ideas, when what we _should_ be doing is _discussing_ the ideas, marking the pros and cons to the plan, before deciding, based on a reasonable discussion and knowledge of facts, which idea is the better. Can we _try_ to solve the Kellach problem _without_ any more slurs against each others' Orders? Do you have any suggestions, Hiroki?"

"None, Advocate. The Vigil will keep watch on other towns northward, defending from potential Risen attacks."

"Okay, Tassof huddle," Tiffany says dryly.

The two girls move out of earshot of the representatives.

"Alright. Number one: I don't believe in 'summoning spirits'. I may have been all for that option when playing this as a game - in fact, I've never played the other one - but as it is real life, nooo way are we doing that," Tiffany starts. Fiona is nodding along vehemently.

"I've never done that option, either," Fiona tells Tiffany. "But it's got to be better than 'disturbing the dead' as Ihan put it. I see where he's coming from, now."

"Most of our changes to this part of the storyline happen in the talks here at Salma, you know," Tiffany says. "Nothing much in the fighting. We'll just stay alert and prepared, and we both know that this choice doesn't alter anything much. Infiltrating pirates... we've already done bandits, can't be that hard. Just... don't say anything suspicious, please."

"Of course."

Re-approaching the group, Fiona takes the lead.

"We've decided to go infiltrate the pirates," Fiona tells them. "I've got no problems with the Priory's ideas, just saying."

"In fact, it seems more likely to yield results, but summoning spirits is second on my 'to- _don't_ ' list, right before..." Tiffany shivers. "right before _one certain_ other thing," she says, casting a glance at Fiona, who simply rolls her eyes. ' _Hey, you don't even_ know _him yet, sis. Don't pass judgment on me for that,_ ' she thinks.

"Excellent," Ihan says. "I need to prepare. Meet me near the Lionbridge Expanse and we'll take it from there."

"Great. We'll be there." Tiffany promises.

* * *

"Captain Thackeray!" Fiona says frantically. "Alastia Crow told Kellach he needed 'royal blood' to remove some sort of draconic curse!"

"Dwayna's mercy!" Logan says, startled. "I have to protect the Queen. We can't let him near her!"

"He's carrying some sort of artifact that corrupted him," Tiffany adds. "The undead could just be following the object. As long as he's out there, the undead will be, too."

"We don't have much time," Hiroki warns. "The undead mob is just getting bigger, and more dangerous."

"We can't just think of the Queen, Logan. Kryta is in danger. The Risen following Kellach will destroy every town between Triskell Quay to Divinity's Reach, and we all know he'll have to go _through_ Divinity's Reach. There's no way the Seraph can manage a Risen invasion that huge."

"Kormir's truth, you're right... But when it comes to my duty to the queen..." Logan shakes his head.

"I know what you mean, Logan," Tiffany tells him. ' _More than you realize._ ' "But we can create a plan to prevent anyone from dying."

"It's time to hit Kellach head-on," Hiroki declares. "In the Vigil, we swear an oath to stand between the darkness and the light. The only way to be sure is to face the threat directly. Advocate Tiffany, join us. You'd make a fine member of the Vigil, and I'd be proud to fight by your side."

Tiffany blinks once. And she waits. ' _What about Fiona?_ ' she thinks. But Hiroki is just looking at her expectantly. Tiffany opens her mouth to speak, but Ihan cuts her off.

"Kellach has two things on his side," Ihan tells her. "An army of undead and complete insanity. We have to use cunning. Lure him in, and then trick him into destroying himself. The Order of Whispers wants you both on our side, Tiffany, Fiona. All you have to do is say the word."

Tiffany's forehead creases in thought, glancing at Fiona, who looks torn between surprise and confusion.

"Advocate Fiona," Josir starts. "Knowledge is power. The Durmand Priory's research is conclusive. You would be much better suited among our scholars. Come, Advocate. We can use the Mortis Verge enchantment to protect the queen, and neutralize this threat intelligently."

Tiffany and Fiona glance at each other.

"Ah..." Tiffany starts. Then, she tries again. "Let me and Fiona... discuss our options for a moment, please."

"Of course, of course," Josir says, waving a hand. "Go ahead!"

Tiffany almost pulls Fiona our of earshot.

"Fiona," Tiffany hisses. "How did we not see this coming?"

"I don't understand..." Fiona says, lost. "Why did Josir not invite you?"

"Or Hiroki not invite you?" Tiffany retorts. "I assume it's just orders."

"Of course they're Orders," Fiona says, confused.

"No, no, _orders_." Tiffany explains. "Lower-case o. they've been ordered to invite certain people. But still, I think it's because of how we've behaved. You focussed on illusions, back in the swamp, to get the children to safety. That strikes me as something the Priory would do, and you've always specialized in your illusionary deception. However, I always went in blades spinning and arrows flying. It makes sense that they'd only invite one of us, and the Order of Whispers can use anyone. If I can't do the infiltration thing right, they'll have me doing something else. Same for you."

"So what are we going to do? I'd really like to stick together," Fiona says dubiously.

"So would I, but I wouldn't be any use at all in the Order of Whispers, I don't know near enough about them to finish my 'stop-harassing-each-other-and-learn-to-get-along' act I started, and I only know anything much about the Vigil. You'd been in the middle of playing Priory on Catava, right?"

"Yeah..." Fiona says. "I like Sieran."

"And I like Forgal. Friends, right, remember that discussion we had about how I know Forgal better than you know Sieran (because I've played that twice and you're only halfway through your first play of Priory) and stuff like that?"

"Yeah. So you want to join the Vigil, and I can join the Priory?" Fiona clarifies.

"Yeah. I mean, it's not like I can join the Priory, or you the Vigil." Tiffany says reasonably.

"But we can both join the Order of Whispers," Fiona tells her. "We could both join that instead."

"Fi, not _instead_ ," Tiffany says suddenly. "Not _instead of_ the other two, but _as well as_ the other two. I can join the Vigil and the Order of Whispers, and you can join the Priory and the Whispers. They're the _Order of Whispers_ , they'd be thrilled to have people that are also members of the other two Orders,"

"They'd probably want us to spy on the other Orders," Fiona cautions.

"Yeah, but we could say no," Tiffany says reasonably. "And see what happens. Our main priority is Vigil and Priory, not Whispers. Which will make us suspicious, but..."

"How will we do it? The Vigil and the Priory probably won't want us accepting, and then turning around and accepting the Whispers' invitation right then."

"We'll go to their base," Tiffany explains. "It's in a cave in the Bloodtide Coast, I could probably find it pretty easily. Not as easy as normal, because I don't have this PoI tracker in my head, but still. So, Vigil for me, Priory for you, and we'll go find the Whispers' hideout and join them later?"

"Got it." Fiona nods. "But what about Kellach?"

"We'll let Josir and Hiroki handle that," Tiffany tells her.

"Right," Tiffany says, giving Fiona the thumbs-up. "Let's go join an Order!"

"I'll join the Vigil, Hiroki," Tiffany tells the crusader. "It'll be my honor to help defend Tyria."

"I'm with the Priory," Fiona tells Josir. "I've always been attracted to lore."

"Fi, that's _my_ line," Tiffany scolds.

"You're joining the Vigil," Fiona retorts.

"You're joining the Priory," Tiffany says triumphantly.

"...That's the point," Fiona says after a confused silence.

"Oh. Was it?" Tiffany asks, peering at Fiona. "Sorry, I didn't notice."

Fiona tries to hold in a snort, but it comes out anyway. "Didn't notice... that's a good one," she laughs.

"I suppose you didn't notice me joining the Vigil, then?" Tiffany challenges.

"This again, huh?" Petra says, having approched the group. "they always do this!" she says exasperatedly. "For your sakes, I'm glad they joined different Orders. They'd make your life living hell if they were together," she tells the representatives.

"Good thing we didn't invite both of them, the cause of the argument seems to be that they both think they are attracted to lore." Josir observes.

"Oh, dear me, no," Petra says. "Don't ever invite them both to the Priory, you dodged a cannonball there."

"Yeah, but - " Fiona says, continuing the argument with Tiffany.

"Oh, look, it's Petra!" Tiffany squeals. "It's been so long since I've seen you!"

"...you saw me earlier today," Petra says dryly.

"Ohhh, right," Tiffany nods. "In that case - "

Petra sighs deeply. "If you _don't_ mind, could you cut the act?" she says desperately.

"Okay!" Fiona says brightly. "As I was saying, Josir, I would be glad to join your Order."

"Grand, just grand! The Priory looks forward to utilizing your intellect, Novice. You've made the right choice. Gods save the queen - if they don't, we will!"

"Thanks, Josir. What's the plan?"

"Hold up," Tiffany points out. "There's two Orders involved in this plan. How's it gonna work?"

"Well, Kellach was last sighted near Black Haven, right?"

"Yeah." Tiffany says, surprised. ' _What has this to do with anything?_ ' she wonders. ' _We're supposed to set up something in the throne room... oh. But we need to protect_ Kryta _, not just the queen... why did we do that in the game, then?_ '

"He seems to be stepping across western Kryta," Josir says. "Using waypoints. The undead mob has been following him across land."

Tiffany frowns. "There's no way we can predict what waypoint he'll use next. The line drawn from Black Haven to the next waypoint could radiate in any direction."

"We know he's heading to the Queen," Fiona points out. "So he would have headed for Swamplost Haven."

"But where after that?" Hiroki asks.

"First up," Tiffany replies, "Is Swamplost Haven. If Kellach's been through there, either they'll know or we'll find dead bodies. If he hasn't, the undead will swarm through there eventually. If they've already passed, we'll spread out to the other waypoints."

"No, no," Josir says. "We'll use the Mortus Verge to determine which way the undead went."

"Great plan, Josir," Tiffany replies. "We'll pop ahead to try and catch up, but I doubt he could have gone beyond the swamp yet."

"Let's do it," Hiroki says, and the team disappears in a puff of blue.

Ihan shrugs and pops back to the Chantry of Secrets, leaving Petra alone. She goes back to the tavern.

* * *

 _Author's Notes:_

*gasp* Vigil and Priory only invited _one_ person? Hey, you coulda seen that coming, there's never been _two_ advocates, however much we've played.

Okay, how'd you like it? I've begun wondering _why do we protect the Queen in her throne room when we should be protecting Kryta like we said?_ So I fixed it. We'll probably do the normal quest, as well, to deal with Kellach, but we do need to deal with the undead. Kellach only comes in with about ten to five Risen with him, where'd the rest go? I doubt five to ten Risen could be something much to worry about, and he'd have needed to start with one for the 'the undead mob is just getting bigger' line to make any sense. I can only assume tracking them with the Mortus Verge or something was done off-screen.


	3. Chapter 3: Arguments and Assassinations

SOLDIERS, SCHOLARS, AND SPIES

* * *

Summary: This chapter comes in two parts - saving Queen Jennah and the Destiny's Edge meeting in Lion's Arch.

* * *

Chapter three: Arguments and Assassinations

* * *

 _Author's Notes:_

I have high hopes for this chapter, and a fifty/fifty chance of those hopes succeeding. Because, for last half of this chapter, I am going to tentatively let go. 'Letting go' is where my fingers write, not me. Normally, this happens on it's own, but with the research I've been needing to do (and thus no letting go) that's not been happening too much for the last long while. Either way, when I let go, one of two outcomes happens. The first, which is what I hope happens this time, is that it's awesome, and I look at that and go 'wait, I wrote that?' The second is the fifty percent chance that this chapter will fail abysmally (and because this is a very important chapter, I may go back and do it again. Which I also may not do, because I abhor doing that...). It'll come out as ridiculously hilarious, but absurdly out of character. (The one-shot ' _Never_ Call Zojja Cute' is one of the better byproducts of that.) Anyway, if you see an absurdly out-of-character chapter today, it means that's what happened, and I didn't have the heart (or time or patience) to rewrite it. If you see an awesome, in-character and believable chapter, that means letting go worked. If you see a chapter of my normal writing standards, probably out of character at least some, with a stretched outcome, it's probably because I got the first outcome and _did_ have the time, patience, and heart to change it. (And you could probably see the original outcome in my oneshot fanfic.) This last outcome is the least likely - I've been terrified of this chapter for ages now. As you saw in the AN at the bottom of last chapter. And so I'll probably not write it by my normal methods.

I've got over 300 views! I can't believe my story is so popular! 300 is almost half the total number of fanfictions about Guild Wars (of course, the view count includes views for all sixteen chapters).

Anyway... I need to R&R (Read & wRite) before _you_ can R&R (Read & Review) so let's go!

 _ **Okay, here's the story now:**_

* * *

"That's the undead horde mopped up," Tiffany says, leaning on the sword Fiona had conjured for her. "Only Kellach is left, and because he stepped across Kryta using waypoints, he'll be far ahead."

"But much less dangerous. He's not attacking anything himself, just leading the Risen there." Josir points out.

"His only target is the queen," Fiona agrees. "We should be there to intercept him."

"Kryta is safe, now we just need to ensure the queen's safety, as well," Logan says.

"Right. Let's get to Divinity's Reach," Tiffany agrees.

The group disappears in a flurry of blue.

"Alright, how are we going to do this?"

"We'll stand fast, and take down the Risen before they can get to the Queen," Hiroki tells Tiffany.

"What about the Mortus Verge?" Josir says. "With it, we can defend the queen, as well as using it to destroy the Risen."

"One of us can wield the Mortus Verge, and the rest can hold off the Risen with our blades," Tiffany says.

"Yes, the Mortus Verge should contain the undead threat wonderfully."

"And, by 'contain' you mean 'destroy', right, Josir?" Logan asks sharply.

"What? Oh, yes, yes. At that point it should be an easy matter to mop up the Risen." Josir assures him.

"I hope so," Logan replies. "Kellach's been sighted near the palace grounds. We should know his location any minute now."

"I'll go apply the enchantment to the queen," Josir says. "Novice Fiona, you'll be wielding the device."

"I can do that," Fiona answers.

"Just a moment, I'll go apply the enchantment, then you can get familiar with the controls before Kellach gets here," Josir tells her.

"Alright, Recruit," Hiroki tells Tiffany. "We'll give Kellach one chance to surrender. If he doesn't, destroy him."

"Right," Tiffany nods, pulling her bowstring experimentally. She glances around the throne room, before putting her bow away and hefting her axes. "Fi, conjure a sword for me?"

"'Course," Fiona says, and a greatsword appears in Tiffany's hand.

"Look out!"

Tiffany looks over her shoulder, to see the queen pointing at the open doors of the throne room. Looking back, Kellach is coming towards them.

"Your Majesty... Queen Jennah..." Kellach rasps. He seems panicked. "Listen to me! Let me close. I won't hurt you... I... I just need your blood. This is for Kryta. For Kryta!"

"Stop," Fiona says authoritatively, in a tone of voice that she expected to be obeyed. ' _It always worked on the little children, but on a Seraph, who knows..._ ' she thinks.

"No. I need her blood. Royal blood! Don't you understand? It can cure the corruption. Make us all free!"

"Alastia Crow lied to you," Tiffany tells him. "She purposely wanted to endanger the queen."

"No... no, you're wrong!" Kellach convinces himself. "There has to be a way - tell me! I'll kill you all to save Kryta. I'll kill you all!"

"That's our cue," Tiffany mumbles under her breath. Leaving her sword strapped to her back for now, she leaps into the fight axes whirling.

"Novice, it looks like Kellach brought undead with him anyway," Josir tells Fiona. "Get them!"

"Right away, Josir," Fiona replies with a feral grin.

Tiffany's blade flahes out, and she engages Kellach one-on-one while the rest of the team deal with the Risen. She ducks and parries and stabs - at one point a laugh bubbles up as she realizes she's automatically fallen into the 'en garde' position she'd learned in fencing class before she'd come to Tyria - lunging and retreating and generally using her two-edged greatsword like the one-handed sabre she'd fenced with.

Fiona glances over at Tiffany and heaves a massive sigh. She's _fencing._ With a _greatsword_. And it looks absurd - especially to the Tyrians who have no idea what Tiffany is doing.

" **Tiffany**!" Fiona calls. " **Tyrian people don't know what you're doing!** "

" **It's working!** " Tiffany retorts.

" **You know you should,** " Fiona warns.

" **I will try**." Tiffany grumbles, slashing out of her fencing potsion. " **But fencing is...** " she sighs. " **and the position is protecting me nicely.** "

" **Tif-fan-y,** " Fiona says sharply. " **Just do it!** "

" **I am, I am**!" Tiffany grumbles, slashing with her blade. " **It is rather hard when it is one-on-one.** "

" **Call**..." Fiona's face screws up as she translates her word. Sometimes the vowels get switched around. " **Call Logan to help you!** "

" **You do**!" Tiffany retorts. " **I'm fine on my own.** "

Fiona snorts at her.

Tiffany shakes her head with a silent laugh.

Kellach twists his blade through Tiffany's defenses and cuts her on her arm. Tiffany's face twists in a grimace, but uses the opportunity while Kellach is open and undefended to give him a large cut across his torso. Kellach drops his sword in surprise. Tiffany looks at him incredulously, before shrugging and driving the blade home, killing Kellach. She gives a monstrous shudder. ' _Seriously, what were you doing, stabbing him like that? You know that's not good for you..._ ' Tiffany scolds herself. The sword shatters as Fiona sees it's not needed anymore, driving illusionary shards of sword into Kellach before dissipating.

"He seemed to really care about Kryta," Fiona observes.

"That's where his mistakes began, I suppose," Tiffany agrees.

"So many mistakes... made for all the right reasons," Logan says, shaking his head. "The queen could have been killed by someone who loved her. Even... I mean, it really makes you think."

"The queen is safe now, anyway," Fiona says, slinging her staff over her shoulder and handing the Mortus Verge back to Josir.

"Focus on the future," Tiffany tells Logan brightly.

"Novice, you've shown both intelligence and courage," Josir tells Fiona. "I rate your performance as exceptional!"

Fiona beams.

"You should head to Lion's Arch, and receive your first formal assignment. It's time to send you out into the field."

"Cool!" Fiona says, bouncing on her heels. "I can't wait!"

"As General Almorra says, 'Some must fight, so that all may be free.'" Hiroki tells Tiffany. It is all Tiffany can do to keep from reciting the slogan with Hiroki. "Recruit, you've proved your strength and honor today. You should head to the Vigil chapterhouse in Lion's Arch. There, you'll get your first formal mission for the order."

"I can't wait!" Tiffany says, nodding. Then, she sees Logan looking... shaken. "Logan, are you alright?"

"I'm glad Jennah's safe, but I realize now that her safety is temporary." Logan says slowly. "Everything is temporary... unless the dragons can be stopped."

' _And not even then, you know,_ ' Tiffany thinks sadly. ' _Death will come eventually... you just do your best to delay it as far as it will go._ '

"The dragons can't be defeated by one person, or even one nation." Logan continues. "There has to be another way... do you think we can overcome mistakes, my friend? Make up for things we've done?"

"Always, Logan. Always and forever." Tiffany tells him vehemently. "Everything is temporary, you said? Not all things - past deeds can't be changed. But future deeds _can_ and _will_ be changed, Logan, that I am fully confident in. _You_ choose your own path, and if that means rectifying mistakes, or helping others do so, then you do that. I said past deeds are permanent? But mistakes make us _us_. It's the leaving the mistakes behind, rising up again, that makes us _better_ than the us that was before."

"Inspiring speech, Tiff," Fiona says, half sarcastically, half admiringly.

Tiffany rolls her eyes.

"You're right," Logan says, half to himself. "I've been too focused on keeping the queen safe. I love being at her side, but maybe that's not where I can best defend her - or Kryta." he pauses and looks at the two girls. "An old friend named Caithe asked me to meet her at Lion's Arch. I was going to go, anyway, but now I'm certain."

"I think that's a good idea, Logan." Tiffany tells him.

"You'll be in Lion's Arch at the same time, you know. You could meet her with me, if you want to."

"That'd be great, Logan. I can't wait to meet your old friend," Tiffany tells him, barely biting off the _s_ that would indicate more than one friend - recalling Logan's conversation - er, argument - with Rytlock in the original, she realizes Logan doesn't know anyone but Caithe will be there.

"We'll see you there." Fiona smiles.

Tiffany narrows her eyes for a moment - so quickly anyone who saw it would wonder if it was their imagination - and then asks Logan a question. Simple, really, but astounding to Fiona. "So, who is this Caithe?"

Fiona glances at Tiffany, clearly surprised, but her face gives away nothing.

"Caithe is a sylvari. She was a scout in my old adventuring fellowship, Destiny's Edge." Logan tells her. Mentally, Tiffany is hopping around in glee. "She's a rogue, and a clever one. When our group... fell apart, I guess she never really accepted it. She acts as if we're just taking a break between missions."

"Why in Lion's Arch?"

"We first formed Destiny's Edge in Lion's Arch - Trader's Forum, to be exact, which is where it all started. I know if I go there, I'll be all fired up and wanting to reform Destiny's Edge myself, which isn't a bad idea...but..." Logan trails off muttering under his breath for a moment.

Tiffany has a hard job _not_ leaping around sqealing in glee. In the original, Logan had been completely off the idea of reforming Destiny's Edge. To quote - ' _She probably thinks if I see it again, I'll want to get the old group back together._ '

"I can't wait to meet her, then," Tiffany says.

"Bravely fought!" Hiroki says, approaching Tiffany again. "I'll send a letter of commendation to Lion's Arch. I think General Almorra will be taking a personal interest in you."

"General Almorra? Who's that?" Tiffany asks, again drawing looks that say 'are you crazy?' from Fiona.

"General Almorra Soulkeeper is the founder and leader of the Vigil. Don't act to surprised when you meet her - she's a charr."

"I thought they never left their... warbands or legions or however they sort their military."

"They rarely leave their warbands, and leaving their legions is almost unheard of, but Almorra's story is unique - I think I'll let her tell it."

"So, what's the next step for me?"

"You'll meet with the General, as a new member of the Vigil. She'll - "

"Wait, so every single new recruit meets with the General?" Tiffany interrupts. "Isn't the Vigil a rather large military organization for that to be happening?"

"Normally, yeah, but I got special orders from the General to recruit you," Hiroki replies with a grin.

"Wow, I never knew that," Tiffany says. Then she realizes she said it aloud, and then that it at least is applicable and won't be questioned.

"Anyway, she'll assign you a mentor, to instuct you in protocul and regulations."

"Who'll that be?" Tiffany asks eagerly.

"I don't know, but I hope you get anybody except old Forgal. He's a real bear. Ha! He's a norn, get it?"

"I'll bear that in mind, Hiroki," Tiffany says, grinning. She'd loved those couple of lines, and had them memorized. (completely accidentally, as is prone to happen when you like something.) "Although, it might be a good idea not to go souring new recruits against somebody who very well could be my mentor."

"Yeah, I gotcha," Hiroki says. "It's offset by the joke, though."

"Yep," Tiffany nods with a smile. "Now, Logan's asked me to meet him in Lion's Arch, is that okay?"

"Oh, of course. I'll get your commission routed through there, but be sure and head to Vigil Keep after that."

"Of course," Tiffany agrees easily.

Meanwhile, Josir has been telling Fiona about the Priory.

"Well done, Novice!" Josir tells Fiona. "I shall write a glowing review of your performance, and have in on Steward Gixx's desk immediately."

"Gixx..." Fiona mumbles, and Josir takes it as a question.

"Ranked 'Incomparable Genius' in the asura colleges, twice awarded the 'Meritorious Service Medal' of the Iron Legion, Gixx is the leader of the Durmand Priory," Josir says impressively.

"He's an asura, huh?" Fiona says, remembering she shouldn't know this stuff yet. "Not surprising for the leader of the _Durmand Priory_."

"He's a bit grumpy, but astonishing, nontheless."

"So, what's the next step as a member of the Priory?" Fiona asks.

"You'll head to Lion's Arch, meet your mentor - a tutor, assigned to train you in Priory methodology."

"Method-what?" Fiona asks, amused.

"Method-ology. The study of the method, to be precise."

"Logan's asked me to meet him in Lion's Arch... that alright?"

"Oh, of course. The Priory doesn't interfere in your side-projects."

"Thanks, Josir." Fiona replies with a smile.

* * *

As Logan approaches the Grand Plaza of the Trader's Forum, he glances around, looking for Caithe.

Tiffany and Fiona are already there, talking to the sylvari who once was one of his close friends.

"Caithe!" he calls.

Caithe turns, and visibly brightens when she sees him. "Logan! You came!" she says happily.

"I did," Logan replies. "Now, what's this about?"

"Let's wait until everyone's here, Logan," Caithe tells him.

Logan's eyes narrow as he takes in the words. ' _Who, exactly, is_ everyone _?_ ' he thinks. ' _I wouldn't be surprised if the rest of Destiny's Edge showed up, now I think about it..._ '

"Caithe - Logan? What are you doing here?" comes a voice from behind Logan. He turns to see an asura standing there.

"Zojja," he greets her. "I believe Caithe invited us both to a meeting."

"I did," Caithe confirms. "Let's wait for everyone to get here."

"Everyone?" Zojja asks sharply. "What do you mean, 'everyone'?"

"Wait and see," Caithe says mysteriously.

Logan notices Tiffany and Fiona talking to each other quietly.

"Caithe..." comes a familiar voice, which trails off. Logan turns to see Eir looking at Zojja, but before Zojja can speak, Rytlock arrives.

"Caithe - " he starts, but then he sees Logan. "Logan," Rytlock snarls.

"Rytlock," Logan replies evenly. He _is_ still mad at Rytlock for jumping to conclusions so fast the last time he'd seen him, of course.

"Welcome, fellow members of Destiny's Edge." Caithe begins, obviously pleased. "We must speak of the threat of the Elder Dragons."

"I didn't know you'd be inviting this _traitor_ ," Rytlock snarls at Caithe. "What'd you invite him for?"

"I invited all of you." Caithe says firmly. "The Elder Dragons will not be defeated by bickering."

"They won't be defeated with deserters, either," Rytlock growls.

"You have something to say to me, say it to my face," Logan demands.

"I would, if you weren't always _running away_ ," Rytlock says.

"I'm not running away _now_ ," Logan invites. "Come on, tell me; what have I supposedly done?"

"Only deserted your post and run off right before the big battle," Rytlock snarls. "Only left when your guild needed you most."

"Logan, Rytlock! Enough of your squabbling," Eir tells them.

Ignoring Eir for the moment, Logan returns Rytlock's accusations. "Only went to save the queen when she was about to be killed. Only saved the peace treaty between the humans and the charr. Only saved Kryta from crumbling under it's own weight without a leader like the queen. Only thing I did was not discuss it beforehand to choose the best option!" Logan says heatedly. "Only thing _any_ of us did wrong was not talk it out, before _or_ after! I should've talked to you before I left, made sure everyone knew what was going on. Failing that, I should've explained it after the fact, when the danger was gone and the queen was safe. We _all_ failed in regards to communication that day."

"Maybe if Eir had _told_ us she formed our strategy just so Snaff could die - " Zojja starts.

"Zojja! Eir did no such thing!" Caithe protests.

"No, it was my fault," Eir interrupts. "I didn't explain the plan more fully so if anything happened we could compensate for it properly. I thought we could handle it with Logan gone. I should have done more to ensure Snaff was safer than he was. It's my fault."

"It's all of our faults," Logan repeats firmly. "None of us communicated properly, not even after the fact when we realized communication failure was what caused this mess! We should each have explained what we were thinking and doing, and we wouldn't have carried years-long hatred around with us! Caithe's been saying this all along, we _need to communicate_."

Rytlock stares hard at Logan. "You still deserted right before the battle," he says coldly. "You knew the fight with an _Elder Dragon_ was coming. Your Queen's safety? Ha! Isn't the safety of all of Tyria from an Elder Dragon worth more than that?"

"The safety of all of Tyria?" Logan replies in mock surprise. "We failed, whatever happened, and I don't see a legion of Branded overtaking the world. No, Kralkatorrik's not attacking now, and if we'd retreated and saved the battle for later, then maybe Snaff and Glint wouldn't be dead, and maybe Kralkatorrik _would_ be. In light of that, the human nation would have fallen - only Kryta still stands, and without the Queen it would crumble within a year."

* * *

While the members of Destiny's Edge argue, Tiffany had run off around a corner and promptly started laughing in glee and triumph. Fiona followed her, erecting a sound barrier.

"Tiffany?" she asks. "What - "

"It worked, Fi, it _worked_! My plan to get Logan thinking _worked!_ "

"Huh?"

"In the original, he was all 'Rytlock! Get out of here! You're all bad and stuff!' not exactly, of course, but still - and now, he's all 'it was everyone's fault, we need to communicate, get our act together..."

"I see. Want to get back to seeing what happens so we're fully equipped with the status of Destiny's Edge now?"

"Of course. I just couldn't bust out laughing like that in full sight, now could I, even with a privacy ward. Let's get back."

"You still. Deserted. Your. Post," Rytlock is snarling at Logan. "You can make excuses all you like, but it's still your fault Snaff died."

"You're not listening!" Logan explodes. "If we'd simply _talked_ beforehand or even afterwards, this wouldn't be happening!"

"Well we didn't, and that's your fault," Rytlock snaps.

"No, it's your fault," Logan returns.

Rytlock is stunned into silence, his mouth working as he tries to come up with an answer to that.

"You started yelling at me the moment I returned, and through it all I barely managed to gain an inkling of what had happened," Logan tells him fiercely. "I couldn't get a word in edgewise to explain what happened. Hell, I don't even know the details as of today! All I know is that I left, Eir modified the plan somewhat, but it wasn't enough, you didn't discuss it fully, and you failed, Snaff and Glint died, I returned and you started calling me names and telling me to leave. _You_ don't know what my reasoning was. _You_ don't know what I was thinking. You should've - I should've told you. We should've discussed it. But we didn't, and that's where it went downhill. I left, and you had no idea why, then Eir quickly modified the plan but you didn't discuss it to find the flaws and benefits of it like we usually did, the dragon attacked, I wasn't there to help defend Snaff and so he died, along with Glint, and then the dragon left. There wasn't any communication!"

"And that's why it's your fault," Rytlock snarls back. "You didn't communicate before the big battle - you ran off - and we failed as a result."

"And guess why I've tried to explain it now rather than calling you names and leaving?" Logan retorts.

"Why, because you want us to know how much of a deserter you are?" Rytlock snarls.

"No, I'm trying to fix it!" Logan retorts. "We failed because of lack of communication, and so if we communicate _now_ , we might be able to fix something!"

"I've been 'communicating' with you for a while now," Rytlock snarls, "and all I've got out of it is a headache from trying to understand your inane rambling."

Tiffany looks on at the group arguing in despair.

"Is this what it's turned into? This won't get anywhere! I wish Rytlock would _listen_. But, even though Logan knows they need to communicate, they're not doing it very effectively either."

"Does Rytlock ever listen, in the original?"

"Only in the very _last_ dungeon, Gates of... I think? Something like that. There's this enemy, and Rytlock and Logan are both there fighting them, and then - I only read the transcript, I didn't actually play this yet - Rytlock's on a bridge, I think, and Logan saves him from the bridge falling and Rytlock would've died, but Logan saves him, and then after the big battle they agree to go talk it out. Until _that_ happens all over again, I don't see Rytlock listening."

"Logan saved Rytlock's life, and they got to be friends again over that?" Fiona summarizes.

"Yep," Tiffany confirms. "But the whole purpose for trying to help Logan along was so that could happen sooner, not just the same way as before! I mean, when _else_ are they even in the same place to be in a battle and save each other's lives?"

"They're in the same place right now," Fiona observes.

"Not in the middle of a... Fi, can you make an illusionary battle? Like, I don't know, Risen or something attack?"

"Probably... it'd have to be really low-scale, though. And I couldn't make any good guys."

"No, the good guys are me and Destiny's Edge, over there. You be here, making the illusions, and I'll help out at the battle, and see what happens."

"Great. So, what type of bad guy are we using?"

That gives Tiffany pause. "You know, I don't know. We can't use Risen, Claw Island ensures that - "

"They're illusions, they don't need to come all the way from Orr," Fiona tells her.

"Yes, but people will think they did."

"Huh?"

"Nobody will know it was illusions, and we can't even tell them after the fact or they'll wonder why in Tyria we want to simulate a Risen invasion of Lion's Arch? So they'll think the Risen came from Orr, but the people at Claw Island didn't see anything. Mysterious, huh?"

"I see. Centaurs from the north, then? This is supposed to be just south of Gendarran Fields."

"Fiona, look north from here. See all those merchants and things? The area's packed with them! You know how crazy it would be to have the centaurs charge through all that to get to Destiny's Edge?"

"Destiny's Edge would help in the battle anyway," Fiona counters.

"Can you simulate a bazillion centaurs attacking Lion's Arch? No! The Lionguard would decimate them in a moment, and there's too many people here anyway to make that feasible! Even centaurs aren't so thick as to keep coming when they're decimated at every turn."

"So, not a centaur attack here," Fiona nods.

"Here!" Tiffany says. "Here, there's no centaur attacks here."

"Yeah, and?"

"But there's centaur attacks out there. If I recall correctly, there's a village just beyond Lion's Arch to the north, right by the portal. They could get attacked by centaurs."

"And what'd that do?"

"Illusionary citizen in distress," Tiffany replies promptly. "The Lionguard are international guards, essentially, and Gendarran Fields is part of Kryta. They'd leave it to the Seraph, but the Seraph are too spread thin to do anything. So if we have this citizen in distress running through Lion's Arch crying for help, the centaurs or bandits or whoever are attacking her home village and there's no Seraph to help, Destiny's Edge would leap into action. It's easier simulating an attack on a village than on a city, _especially_ when Lion's Arch is said city. It'd be a minor attack, that Destiny's Edge would quell quickly, and then another attack on one of the outlying farms or somthing, to draw them farther out. _Then_ the massive attack would come - we could even use dragon minions at that point, it's out in the country and nobody would much question where they came from, much less get anywhere with an investigation."

"That'd work... but it just seems like too much of a stretch, you know?" Fiona says slowly.

"I know what you mean! Worst comes to worst, Destiny's Edge won't care and keep arguing. Or they'll switch subjects and start arguing over how to help the town. That's how they lost against Kralkatorrik. And we only won against Zhaitan once they got together and stopped arguing."

"And you won against Mordremoth by - " Fiona teases.

"By Eir dying, Rytlock being off in the Mists, Caithe stealing Glint's egg, and Logan and Zojja being near dead in the dragon's clutches. That's not going to work." Tiffany interrupts. "Sad, really. The group only got two or three years as a group together before being decimated."

"Two or three?"

"Scarlet. Her terrorism took about a year, maybe a year and a... Fi. That didn't happen yet - this is _old_ Lion's Arch, before Scarlet's airship destroyed it." Tiffany realizes. "New Lion's Arch has defenses against air, because that's how Scarlet attacked, but this version of it doesn't. It's just defended against Zhaitan's ships from the south, not airships from any direction."

"So?"

"Exactly. We can't make an illusion of airships, not for the purpose we have in mind. Gaah! There has to be _some_ way to create an attack to have them bond together!"

"It's the famous adventuring group, Destiny's Edge, that nearly took down an Elder Dragon five years ago..." Fiona says, hoping that would give Tiffany an idea. ' _Random things do that, on occasion. My saying 'no bandit attacks here' led to her creating this elaborate plan... that didn't work, but still..._ '

"The famous adventuring group... the five that near ended the menace of the crystal dragon..." Tiffany mumbles to herself. "Elaborate titles those five have, huh? The Group-Who-Split maybe..."

"the Group-Who-Split? How about we rez Snaff and call him the Asura-Who-Lived?" Fiona snorts.

Tiffany nearly collapses laughing. "Y-you know how crazy that sounds?" she asks mirthfully. "If you're making a reference to the Boy-Who-Lived, you're making it sound like somebody hates them."

"huh?"

"Harry was hated by any of Moldyshorts' followers. But nobody hates Destiny's Edge."

"What, the dragons don't have followers?" Fiona raises an eyebrow. "That's a good one."

"Those followers don't count, they're _part_ of the dragon. Mordrem don't have their own mind, it's all Mordremoth. Risen are all Zhaitan. Etc."

"Don't the jotun worship a dragon?"

"Fi, I've told you time and time _again_ , that's the Sons of Svanir. The jotun only worship themselves, as far as I can tell. Themselves and their magical bloodlines."

"Whatever! They still worship the dragon."

"They worship Jormag, Destiny's Edge near killed Kralkatorrik."

"But they would've gone after Jormag."

"And the group formed on purpose originally to kill Jormag's champions, and Eir tried break the Serpent's Fang," Tiffany realizes.

"What?"

"So Sons of Svanir probably hate Destiny's Edge," Tiffany concludes. "We could simulate Sons of Svanir attacking them,"

"Where from?"

Tiffany turns, looking all around her. "There. That ring of asura gates, there, in the harbor with a bridge to it?"

"Yeah, I see that."

"Those lead to Divintiy's Reach, the Black Citadel, the Grove, Rata Sum, and Hoelbrak. If you'll imagine, there's _green_ Sons of Svanir in Hoelbrak, not too far from the asura gate. They're green - they won't attack you, you can't attack them. Now, that's probably because it's a _city_ , but they wouldn't be there if they weren't allowed. Which is weird. But still - they're quite close the asura gate. They could come through here and try to attack Destiny's Edge."

"You do know you'd have to be suicidal to attack them, especially all five here together?"

"Yeah, okay. Let's not do that then."

* * *

"This isn't working," Logan declares at last. "You won't see rea...son..." he trails off and his eyes narrow as he tracks the suspicious-looking shady character trying to appear normal a couple meters away.

"What, can't think of anything else to say?" Rytlock taunts him.

Logan ignores him for the moment. He's had practice with this a lot, patrolling the streets in Divinity's Reach, and he knows the signs. When swift movement comes from the suspicious norn, he moves, and none too soon - a dart swishes through the air where he had just been.

Rytlock spins around with his hand on his weapon, and Destiny's Edge draw their weapons and, almost out of habit, draw into a strategic formation designed by Eir ages ago - ensuring that each member of the group is in an ideal position for their attacking style, and protected as much as they can be for it.

Unstealth happens in the area, and assassins of all races surround the group. Rytlock curses under his breath. Tiffany glances at Fiona, wide-eyed. Fiona shakes her head. 'I didn't do it!' she mouths.

More darts whistle through the air, but bounce off a hastily-erected shield from Logan. A hail of arrows and rifle shots punctuate the air, and even without the shield, the group expertly dodges the trajectory of said projectiles.

"Destiny's Edge, attack," Rytlock snarls.

Logan drops his shield and Eir begins sniping off the enemy. Then, many of the common bypassers drop illusions and rush the now-unshielded group. Rytlock and Logan rush them, expertly killing the assassins. Caithe assists Eir with taking down the ranged enemies, shadowstepping to each one and expertly killing them with minimal effort. Zojja bounces lightning between enemies.

The assassins converge on Rytlock and Logan, now a distance away from the rest of the group. The two stand back-to-back in a practiced pose, both dispatching assassins left and right.

After about five minutes of dealing with the onslaught of assassins, the Lionguard show up. They are momentarily stunned to see Destiny's Edge fighting the assassins, but when the assassins see the Lionguard, they all stealth and leave. Destiny's Edge retreats into the defensive formation they'd practiced, checking every corner with their eyes, ensuring no more assassins are forthcoming. When none appear, they leave their defensive stance and sheath their weapons.

The group look at each other for a moment in silence.

"What was that about," Rytlock snarls at last.

"Some fool trying to assassinate all of Destiny's Edge at once, I'd imagine," Caithe shrugs.

Then, the Lionguard approach. "Excuse me, can you explain what just happened here?"

"We were... having a meeting, and then these assassins showed up. We were defeding ourselves," Caithe tells the golden-clad soldiers.

"You're the group known as Destiny's Edge, right?" the soldier asks.

"Hey, wasn't you three the Edge of Steel from the arena some years back?" asks another Lionguard.

"Yes," Logan replies warily. "What do you want with us?"

"Nothing! We just need to know why theres a couple dozen bodies lying all over Trader's Forum, and you... five were seen with your weapons drawn."

"Like Caithe said," Rytlock snarls. "We were having a meeting and those idiots attacked us. We were defending ourselves."

"We can't just ignore an attack like this," the Lionguard tells them. "People were killed. Why didn't you just leave?"

"How were we to know we were the only targets?" Eir asks. "For all we knew, civilians were in danger. We were holding their attention until the Lionguard could get here. Why weren't the Lionguard here in the beginning?"

"There was a reported fuss on the other end of the city we had to deal with."

"I suppose this was a planned attack." Zojja begins. "the Lionguard are gone, and all of Destiny's Edge is in the middle of Trader's Forum - a very busy place, you know - perfect for an assassination attempt, if you ask me. Of course, that's not taking into account the fact that's it's Destiny's Edge, not just another ragtag bunch of adventurers."

"Excuse me, Lionguard?" asks an asura that had been watching the exchange. "If you need confirmation of what was going on, I can assure you that Destiny's Edge are telling the truth. They are at no fault, they were doing their best to protect the civilians."

"You sure?"

"It's Destiny's Edge." she says flatly. "Think about it."

"Destiny's Edge or not, our job is to ensure the safety of the civilians," another Lionguard protests. "If they had something to do with it, we need to know."

"I just told you, they did nothing illegal," the asura snaps back. "They were defending themselves and innocent civilians - isn't that what you Lionguard do all day long? They didn't provoke anything, and when the assailants left, they didn't pursue them when they'd obviously surrendered. All they did was defend themselves. And before you ask, _yes_ , I am sure."

"Okay," the Lionguard says, turning away, but muttering under his breath.

When the group is alone again, Eir asks the question: "Why would somebody want to assassinate Destiny's Edge?"

"They saw us trying to mend bridges and thought if somebody else died we'd stay apart?" Caithe suggests.

"I wouldn't be surprised," Rytlock agrees grudgingly. "At least Logan didn't run off this time."

"Didn't we discuss this? It's the not the running off - "

"You're so golden on communication? Then tell me why you ran off!"

"Ebonhawke was being besieged by Branded and the Queen was in danger. She called me to assist her, and I went to her. If the Queen of Kryta was killed, Kryta would crumble. Kryta's the only human nation left, and without Queen Jennah the peace treaty would never have happened." Logan says firmly. "I understand how you could think I was a deserter, as I explained next to nothing when I left, and I couldn't explain afterwards, but that doesn't excuse your jumping to conclusions before letting me explain myself."

"You shouldn't have left in the first place," Rytlock snarls.

"Why not?" Logan challenges.

"We were just about to enter battle with an _Elder Dragon_ , Logan! You don't just run off!"

"The _Queen of Kryta_ was in danger, Rytlock! You don't just _not_ defend the queen! And you could easily have retreated and saved the battle for another time!" Logan retorts.

"It was an _Elder Dragon_ , Logan!"

"Hence why everyone needed to be there, and if someone wasn't going to be there we should have waited!"

"The dragon was literally at our doorstep!"

"Waypoints exist for a reason!"

"We may have never got another chance!"

"We may never get another chance as it is!" Logan retorts. Then, realizing that Rytlock's last objection was... weaker than the others, and guessing (rightly) that he couldn't think up any more, he pulls his trump card. "Snaff wouldn't have wanted this! He died so the dragon could die, whether we killed it then or later, not so we could argue amongst ourselves and not get anything done! Do you think Snaff wanted this to happen?" he asks, waving his hand at the group. "Do you think _this_ is what he died for? For internal conflict and animosity? I don't think so!" Logan is almost yelling by the end.

Rytlock just stares at Logan. Zojja seems to be in shock. Eir is nodding along in agreement. Caithe is tentatively smiling. Tiffany, in the background, is grinning her head off. Fiona seems to be having trouble understanding everything, but keeping up pretty well.

* * *

 _Author's Notes:_

I hope I handled that realistically...

And I have a help request - I have no idea when I captialize the word 'queen'. I know when you're just saying the title, as in 'the queen' it's not captialized, and when you say it with the name, as in 'Queen Jennah' you do, but I don't know any rules besides that.

Review please!

EDIT FROM THE FUTURE: I have now read _Edge of Destiny_. I altered dialogue accordingly - I was wrong in several places - but not Tiffany or Fiona's, because _this_ Tiffany and Fiona have not read the book. (You should read it, too.(


	4. Chapter 4: Welcome to the Order!

SOLDIERS, SCHOLARS, AND SPIES

* * *

Summary: A brief round-out of the Destiny's Edge meeting, and then Tiffany and Fiona's perspectives on their first mission for their respective Orders, respectively.

* * *

Chapter four: Welcome to the Order!

* * *

 _Author's Notes:_

There is a lot of direct quoting in this chapter. So let me make a...

 _ **Disclaimer:**_ I do not own Guild Wars 2 or anything written or produced by ArenaNet - if I did, Trahearne wouldn't have died, much less in the manner he did.

 _ **Okay, here's the story now:**_

* * *

As the group disperses, later in the day, Tiffany, watching with a small smile, thinks about the meeting. Destiny's Edge still isn't on the best of terms - but 'the best of terms' is just that - the best. So, not the best, but not the worst. They are much closer to in-between than Tiffany could have hoped for in the meeting.

Rytlock had never admitted he could have been wrong about Logan - but he's Rytlock, that's easy to understand. He'd certainly stopped dropping snide comments about Logan's loyalties (or lack thereof), which was definitly a bonus in Tiffany's book.

Zojja is still distant with Eir - no surprise, of course. At least she'd held back on insulting Eir at every turn, which was improvement.

Tiffany doesn't know what made Zojja change her mind near the end of the campaign against Zhaitain about Eir, and so Tiffany knows she can't influence that except inadvertently. Perhaps if that one dungeon - Sorrow's Embrace - is still on track, she could do something to prevent Zojja from - for lack of a better phrase - guilt-tripping Eir into leaving. Or maybe that part won't happen, already.

So, the group didn't part on the best of terms, but still on much better terms than they'd met. Tiffany has a sneaking suspicion that the assassination attempt had something to do with it - Logan and Rytlock fought back-to-back out of habit, it had seemed, and liked it.

"Recruit Tiffany Tassof?" asks a voice, startling Tiffany out of her thoughts. A young man is standing in front of her. "I have a message for you," he says, holding out an envelope with the Vigil insignia on it.

"Thank you...?" Tiffany trails off, asking for the man's name.

"Courier Jeil, Recruit," he replies, before turning and hurrying off.

Opening the missive, Tiffany reads it through, a smile blossoming on her face. "Fiona - " she begins, when she notices she has a letter as well.

Fiona is smiling. "I'd forgotten how... gushy Sieran was... is."

"You only played the level forty mission, right?" Tiffany asks. "With the windy bridge?"

Fiona winces. "Yeah, how're we gonna do that?"

"Well you can't just die," Tiffany states the obvious. "There's no such thing as 'retry at checkpoint' anymore."

"We'll figure that out as it comes, I suppose," Fiona replies with a nervous smile. "Either way, I need to meet her at Black Lion Trading Post's headquarters in Lion's Arch."

"Why do I get the only _uninteresting_ mentor?" Tiffany grumbles halfheartedly. "He starts out all... stiff and stern and stuff. And he only opens up near the end," she grouches. "Whereas you Priory people have this cool, excited, companion. You have a friend, I have a warmaster."

"You don't mean that," Fiona rolls her eyes.

"I know I don't!" Tiffany replies, pretending to be affronted. "I would _never_ mean something like that."

"That's the point," Fiona rolls her eyes.

"Oo, _point_." Tiffany says in a monkey-like voice.

Fiona sighs. "I can't _believe_ Falcon has that much of an influence on you," she says dryly.

"I was just role-playing. You were being me, I was being Falcon," Tiffany argues.

"Whatever," Fiona says.

"Friends," Tiffany counters. "Let's get going... I, for one, don't want to change anything by being late. Like I said, I have a warmaster for a mentor."

"Get going, then." Fiona tells her.

Tiffany and Fiona turn to walk away, but then spin around to look at each other again. They both look at their letters again, and Tiffany groans.

"Where is 'the Vigil Headquarters in Lion's Arch?" Tiffany groans.

"I've got no idea. Any clue where the Black Lion Trading Company's headquarters is?"

"None," Tiffany replies, in a panic. "I can't be late for this, Forgal thinks of me as simply a recruit in the beginning, and now he'll think I'm a _tardy_ recruit, which can only hurt things. I mean..."

"I know. So how do we get there? Like you said, I've got a friend, even at the beginning. I don't think Sieran'll mind if I'm a tad late."

Tiffany narrows her eyes in thought. "the Vigil have a base near Claw Island... I know _that_ because the Risen are attacking... either here or on Claw Island and we use Vigil troops from the garrison to hold them off until we can mount a counterattack. Claw Island is south, so the Vigil must be south, as well."

"So, head down that bridge there?" Fiona points.

"Best we can do. I'm really horrible at exploring cities when I don't have to, you know. It's all story stuff in my head."

"Well, you go exploring, I'll... figure this out somehow."

"Fi, it's the Black Lion Trading Company headquarters. _Everyone_ would know where that is, just ask around. Mesmer illusion yourself to look different if you're afraid of looking stupid."

"Great idea!" Fiona says, brightening.

Tiffany heads down a bridge that leads south, hoping to find the Vigil base in Lion's Arch. At the end of the bridge is a fortress. Tiffany's glance first falls on the waypoint just within the the archway, and glances around to commit the location to memory so she could return.

As she takes in her surroundings, however, all thought of the waypoint is driven out of her mind by the sight of the goings-on around her. She instantly picks out the Vigil insignia everywhere - what looks to be an eye in the middle of a flame. It is not the most accurate description, but Tiffany had never been able to describe the insignia - at least, not until she looked at it sideways, and saw a dragon's eye.

Tiffany knows she has found the Vigil headquarters, and enters the fort. Now that she is here, she remembers the details, and drinks in the sight. She frowns in confusion as she sees a flat empty space - it's out of place. Then, she remembers that normally that is where the portals to the Mists are kept, and that, as far as she can tell from how the Mists are referred to, a place you don't want to go (unless, of course, you wish to enter the non-existent world of PvP or WvW, which doesn't exist here).

She nods in understanding, before crossing it to the place she knows she'll be introduced to the Vigil.

When she stands in a corner of the doorway, she can hear a conversation being carried on.

"With all due respect, Ambassador, that's a foolish decision," says a large norn that Tiffany instantly recognizes as Forgal Kernsson.

"That's enough, Warmaster," says the charr that the ambassador Forgal mentioned is talking to. ' _General Almorra_ ,' Tiffany knows. Almorra turns to the ambassador. "Thank you, Lady Versa. The Vigil will do our best to keep _everyone_ safe."

Lady Versa nods, before turning and leaving. Six guards - three on each side - step out of the shadows and flank the human as she leaves.

Then, the general turns her gaze on Tiffany.

"Who might you be?" she asks, not unkindly.

"Tiffany Tassof, general. I'm a new recruit reporting for duty," Tiffany replies promptly.

"Let me tell you the history of the Vigil, then, Recruit. Six years ago," the general tells Tiffany, "a dragon rose in Ascalon. It flew south, killing and corrupting everything in it's path. I stood beneath the dragon as it passed overhead. I survived where others did not. All across Tyria, I found others who told of destruction caused by the dragons. Humans and sylvari, battling undead that swarmed their shores. Asura, driven from their underground cities. Joinging together, we gave birth to a mighty organization: the Vigil. We're proud that you have chosen to serve alongside us, Recruit. Your mentor will be Forgal Kernsson, one of our finest soldiers, and the most stalwart norn I know." Tiffany finds it hard to repress a smile at this, although she does. "He'll teach you to fight with the Vigil. The Vigil was created to fight the dragons. We destroy them before they destroy us." the general pauses for the barest of seconds. "Some must fight so that all may be free." Tiffany, again, finds it hard not to say the sentence with the general. "Welcome to the Vigil, Recruit Tiffany Tassof."

Tiffany smiles softly. "I'm glad to be a part of the organization." she replies.

"My name is Almorra Soulkeeper." she tells Tiffany. "I founded this order, and I am it's general, until I die in battle or they find someone better. The Vigil's representative to the Queen of Kryta sent me a letter, saying you were the best they'd ever seeen. I look forward to seeing you prove that."

"I'll not disappoint, General. I've decided the dragons need to be gone, the sooner, the better."

"Ha! I like you already. I've assigned you to Warmaster Forgal Kernsson for training." Almorra tells her.

"Look here, young one. I don't care what you've done in the past. The Vigil needs heros, not tale-tellers." Forgal begins immediately. "It's what you do today, not yesterday, that matters to me."

Tiffany can't help it, she breaks into a large grin. "I think we'll get along just fine, then. I prefer to look at what has not yet been done that needs to be, rather than what has been done that is no longer of any importance."

"I think you'll get along just fine," Almorra tells the two. "Now, to business. Renegades are threatening the treaty negotiations between Kryta and the Iron Legion. The Vigil needs to ensure that treaty goes through. They need to be fighting the dragons, not each other. You'll be dealing with Commander Samuelsson, leader of the Ebon Vanguard and avid treaty supporter. Head to Ebonhawke and stop those renegades."

"Have you been to Ebonhawke, recruit?" Forgal asks.

"Yes, sir. I've been traveling there via asura gate a lot, and I understand the treaty and the threat." Tiffany says promptly.

"I'll allow you to get there your own way, then." Forgal says. "Mind you are there as soon as possible, this treaty needs to be seen through."

"I understand, Warmaster," Tiffany says, saluting.

Both members of the Vigil disappear in a puff of blue - Tiffany to the waypoint near the asura gates. She travels to Divinity's Reach, then waypoints to Salma district, next to the asura gate that she promptly goes through, to find Forgal already waiting on the other side.

"You seem mighty soft for the Vigil, Recruit. Still, if you're willing to work hard, you might pass muster."

"Don't worry, Warmaster," Tiffany says. "I'm willing to fight. I will prove myself."

"Huh." Forgal grunts. "You've got the right attitude, even if you are green. Keep you mind keen, and your eyes open."

Tiffany barely restrains a snort. "Of course, sir." she pauses. Then, "I know I'm green, Warmaster. I think I'm half sylvari."

Forgal sighs in long-suffering.

"Secure the gate!" shouts a human in dark armor. "Don't let the renegades escape!"

"By Raven's wings!" Forgal snarls. "What in the Mists is happening here?"

"It's the Vigil!" the human says, relieved. "Thank Balthazar, you're just in time. I'm Wade Samuelsson, Commander of Ascalon."

Tiffany twitches slightly. ' _Commander,_ again _,_ she thinks. ' _Guess I better get used to it._ '

"...Give me a status report," Forgal tells Samuelsson.

"A bunch of charr Renegades smuggled explosives into the city." the Commander replies promptly. "They were trying to blow up one of the outer walls. The Ebon Vanguard stopped the demolition team, but Renegade forces are attacking everywhere from here to the central plaza."

"That sounds like a blood-covered mess, Commander," Forgal replies. Tiffany twitches again, all the more because it sounds like something somebody would say to her as Commander. "How can we help?"

"We have to get to the city's central plaza. Turn right, head down the road and through the crossing. You'll see a big statue at the center of the square. Once we take the square, the Vanguard can do the rest. But without a rallying point, we're falling apart."

"We'll capture the plaza, Commander, and teach a lesson to any Renegades we find along the way. Ready, Recruit? Move out!"

Forgal begins walking off down the street, muttering about how Ebonhawke _won't_ fall.

Tiffany sighs and hurries after him. _'At least I'll probably get over this crazy obsession with the title of 'Commander'. It's being used enough, hopefully._ '

Forgal leads the way down the street, until a large group of charr charge the two.

Instantly, Beorn charges the Renegades, stopping them mid-charge. Tiffany's bow is in her hand, and a rain of arrows fall around the charr. She'd got an enchantment applied to her arrows that would cripple, so they are slower now, too.

"An archer, eh?" Forgal mutters to himself, charging the group.

Tiffany smirks and her axes seemingly spin into her hands, her bow swinging onto it's place on her back. She expertly rolls under Beorn, coming up on his other side with an axe-handle to the face of a Renegade prepared to gut Beorn. The axe spins around and lops his head off. Tiffany grins ferally, spinning into action by Beorn's side.

She lets her instincts take over, dodging and spinning and whirling, and her daggers come into play many times; she'd strapped them to her elbows with the point backwards, so if she elbows someone it will stab them. All she has to do was look out for allies.

And impress Forgal, of course.

* * *

"Ask around for the Black Lion Trading Company's headquarters..." Fiona mumbles to herself, as Tiffany takes off southward. Fiona nods decisively to herself. There's plenty of people to ask, but who, and, more importantly, _how_? Like Tiffany had said, _everyone_ should know where the Black Lion Trading Company's headquarters is, so why doesn't she? That's what anyone she asked will be wondering... unless, of course, she illusions herself to look younger... a _lot_ younger. Although, then they'd be asking why she was on her own, but that's why... no, that wouldn't work... Fiona frowns. ' _Ah, well. I'll just make myself look like a child and hope no questions are asked. A slightly older child, though... 'Mom thinks I'm old enough to do this all on my own' type..._ ' Decided, Fiona nods to herself again.

She glances around quickly, before slipping out of sight, stealthing, and unstealthing around the corner as a little girl, about eleven. Putting a happy, childish smile on her face, she asks the nearest stranger where the 'Black Lion something Company' is.

"Do you know where the Trader's Forum waypoint is?" the older man asks.

"Yes," Fiona nods. "Mom takes me there all the time."

"So, go to the waypoint and then head west until you get to a building that kind of looks like a ship. Inside is where the Black Lion _Trading_ Company is located."

"Thank you!" Fiona says happily, waving and disappearing in a flash of blue.

Once at the waypoint, she quickly changes back to herself before heading west. ' _Straight left, when facing north_ ' is Fiona's method of remembering which way is west. She knows when she's facing north because all waypoints leave you facing due north.

She makes her way quickly around the Mystic Forge*, and instantly sees the building that looks like a ship. Or, perhaps actually a ship that has been altered to be suitable for ground, and stylish. Or, just a building that looks like a ship. ' _I overanalyze things too much_ ,' Fiona shakes her head.

The inside of the ship-structure is elaborately designed, with carved pillars (or at least the illusions of carvings; who knows, in Tyria) and bright colors. At the far end of the surprisingly deserted building there are two people standing - a sylvari, whom Fiona tentatively recognizes (she's a bit far away to tell, but she's fairly sure she's right) as Sieran, talking to another asura. ' _Shouldn't be_ too _surprised,_ ' Fiona thinks to herself. ' _It's the_ Durmand Priory _, of course a ton of asura are involved._ '

"No, Magister." the asura is saying in resigned frustration. "Your orders are to take the novice straight to the Durmand Priory!"

"Stop worrying, Kekt!" Sieran replies cheerfully, and not a bit coaxingly. "One little side-trip, and I'll have the sproutling home in no time. It'll be cherry!"

Fiona can't stop a grin as she approaches the pair.

"Oh, here you are! You must be the new novice I was sent to retrieve." Sieran says brightly as she sees Fiona. "I'm a Magister of the Order, but we don't need to use titles. Just call me Sieran."

"Of course, Sieran," Fiona smiles at the sylvari. "I'm Fiona Tassof. I can't wait to get started."

"It's nice to see you're so enthusiastic!" Sieran gushes. "I know I'm supposed to take you straight back to the Priory, but I'd like to take a little side trip. While I was waiting for you, Explorer Kekt was telling me this really interesting story about an old dwarven tomb - and guess what? It's right on our way!"

"Sounds interesting," Fiona agrees.

"I'll still take you to meet Steward Gixx at the main Priory building, but I want to have a bit of fun first."

"Magister Sieran, you're not listening to me!" Kekt persists, even though all three of them can tell it's a lost cause. "We don't even know if the story is true. What if the tomb doesn't exist? What if it's just a legend?"

"Oh, Kekt, stop being a spoilsport!" Sieran laughs. "If I ignore this, those skulky dredge might find the tomb first, and how would _that_ turn out? They'd destroy it! Come on. It won't hurt anything to go look around a bit. The novice doesn't mind, right?"

Caught off guard, Fiona fumbles for an answer. "Er... I'll let you decide," Fiona says lamely. "I'm new to the Priory and stuff, you know..."

"Then it's settled! I'll meet you at Molent Summit, Fiona. Don't keep me waiting, okay?" Sieran beams and hurries off.

' _Molent Summit?_ ' Fiona thinks in a panic. ' _Where the heck is that? It's somewhere in Lornar's Pass or_ somewhere _in the Shiverpeaks and I haven't set foot there in... never! How am I going to get there anytime soon?_ '

"Magister Sieran's a bit excitable. She was _supposed_ to take you to the Priory, not off on an adventure!" Kekt explains.

"I don't mind adventures," Fiona says nervously. "I just have no idea where Molent Summit is, or how to get there."

"Oh, dear." Kekt shakes his head. "Well, Lion's Arch is right next to the Priory, there's a tiny pass that leads to an entrance to the Priory. All you have to do is run up the pathway - _not_ through the cave - and find yourself in the Priory. Then just take the first right and keep going, and down the steps, and over the bridge. Once you get off the Priory Bridge there is a waypoint, and just a little past that southward is a pass, taking you east and a little north to the Lake of Lamentation, and after that you just curve southward around the lake - it's frozen - then straight north and you'll come to the area. Sieran'll meet you there, don't worry. Of course, that's only the way to the small Priory camp stationed there, and there's dredge caves nearby, so be careful.

Fiona blinks. "Sorry, but I don't think I can keep that all in my head..."

"Oh, no worries," Kekt tells Fiona. He pulls out a map of the area and marks her route on the map. "See, here's the narrow pass from Lion's Arch to the Priory, don't miss it."

"I see, I can remember that. Thanks, Kekt."

"No problem." Kekt grimaces. "I feel for any novice coming through assigned to Sieran."

"She does this all the time?" Fiona asks, surprised.

"What, this in particular? No, but, to use Steward Gixx's words, her common sense leaves something to be desired."

"I see. Well, I'll be on my way then," Fiona says.

"See you... whenever Sieran lets you come to the Priory," Kekt says uncertainly as Fiona leaves.

* * *

She goes to Postern Ward, and, sure enough, there's a narrow passage eastward that she takes. She comes out in the Shiverpeaks, but immediately espies a pathway up the hill. Sparing a curious glance for the cave Kekt had mentioned, Fiona hurries up, and the pathway turns to stairs that twist around each other. At the top, it's a straight corridor (if you could call it a corridor - it is hewn out of stone and is all natural-looking (not that that's a bad thing)). She tentatively continues, until it opens up into a kind of circular room with pillars and things all around. She goes right, and almost immediately sees another set of stairs.

That is when she realizes the Priory is located on top of a small mountain, or at least a cliff. She looks over the surrounding landscape, and even spies a rock formation that once (in Guild Wars 2 rather than in Tyria) boasted a vista. Fiona smiles, happy knowing she knows where she is now. She gazes wistfully at the clear air, wishing she had a glider (even if she would probably die of terror) to spiral down to the bridge below. She smiles and takes off down the stairs, tempted, (but with no danger of doing so) to slide down the railing.

At the bottom, the path curves sharply southward for a few feet before slanting more of an easterly direction, and over the bridge. There, sure enough, is the waypoint, which Fiona quickly memorizes before heading on down the path. She almost misses the pass, as it is not a track, merely a passageway between the cliffs.

It is not a hard pass, by any means, just not marked by anything a path is normally marked by - a beaten track or torches lining the road. But it is bordered by natural means - cliffs - and so Fiona doesn't get lost.

When she emerges out of the pass, a frozen lake stretches before her, with an island slightly to her right but still right before her. She shrugs and treks around the lake's southern side, before coming north. The path suddenly sharply curves to the right, and Fiona automatically follows it, ending up almost immediately at the Priory camp.

' _This is a small camp,_ ' Fiona observes. ' _Only four Priory people here. I wonder where Sieran is._ ' She shrugs and decides to ask the nearest person - excluding the 'PC's standing around of course - if Sieran had passed through recently.

"Oh, finally, someone new to talk to. My boss is nice and all, but she does drone on, and on, and on..."

"Er, has Magister Sieran passed through here?" Fiona asks hesitantly.

"Oh, Sieran was around a moment ago... Lojj, wasn't Sieran here a moment ago?"

"Yeah, she went through to the dredge tunnels," an asura on the other side of the camp replies.

"Thanks," Fiona tells them, before suddenly shivering. ' _It's called the_ Shiver _peaks for a reason, Fi,_ ' she tells herself with a mental eye-roll. She tries to see if she can generate a feeling of warmth. It is hard to believe such a thing, in such a cold atmosphere, and she is rather too distracted to imagine warmth.

She turns and goes up the small pathway on the north side of the camp. Sieran is standing right there, admiring the view.

"Look at these glorious, snow-dusted mountains." Sieran declares, turning and seeing Fiona. "I love the Shiverpeaks! They're so magnificent. Can you believe the ancient dwarves through this was a good place for a tomb? It feels so alive. Such a strange choice."

"I don't know where here is," Fiona says bluntly. "It's in the Shiverpeaks, it's cold, and I didn't know how to get here."

"You should have said something back in Lion's Arch!" Sieran says, surprised.

"I tried," Fiona replies dryly. "You ran off before I could say anything. Kekt helped me, though."

"Well, that's good. You could have gotten lost."

"So, what about these dwarven tombs?"

"The dwarves are almost extinct, but in their time, they knew a lot about the dragons. The Priory studies dwarven tombs to learn as much as we can, and _this_ one is completely unexplored! If there hadn't been a little earthquake, it would have stayedburied beneath rocks and ice. Kekt's old scrolls said this was the tomb of the dwarven prince. It might've - uh oh. Look at those dig marks." Sieran sighs. "Dredge. Shoots and thorns, I _knew_ the dredge would find this place! That's why I wanted to come right away," she explains. "See, the drede were once enslaved by dwarves. They'll destroy anything dwarven. Once this cave opened up, they probably flocked here like jackdaws to a bone."

"Then - incoming, Sieran, watch out!" Fiona says as the earth around them erupts and dredge pop up, all carrying weapons.

Clones appear as Fiona tosses balls of magical energy at the dredge, and Sieran seems to like throwing bolts of air or lightning around. Fiona grins as she recalls that Sieran is an elementalist. The dredge are dispatched quickly.

"Watch your feet," Sieran warns. "These dredge are good at getting underfoot."

"Literally," Fiona agrees.

"Let's go in," Sieran says, leading the way into the caverns.

There is another dredge there, but seems to be afraid of the two, ignoring them.

"Sieran, ignore it," Fiona cautions. "He doesn't seem to be hostile. Just lead the way."

Sieran nods, and the two continue down the tunnel. When they enter a small, oval-shaped room, more dredge pop up from underground, and the dredge already there attack with them.

Sieran and Fiona again decimate the dredge, although it takes a lot longer.

When they can focus on something other than killing dredge, both members of the Priory notice a... something in the middle of the room.

"Ooh, good find!" Sieran exclaims. "The writing on this is certainly dwarven. Keep searching, maybe we can find more. Aside from the dwarven artifacts, this cave is dreary. Can you imagine living here? Maybe it was different back when the dwarves lived in Tyria..."

"What do you know about the dwarves?" Fiona asks curiously.

"I've heard all sorts of stories about them," Sieran tells Fiona. "They were once two factions, they had a big,magic tome, and - oh! They all turned themselves to stone."

"Magic tome?" Fiona repeats curiously.

"The Tome of the Rubicon prophesied that the dwarves would meet the Great Destroyer in battle and be lost to the depths," Sieran replies.

"What's the Great Destroyer?" ' _Aren't Destroyers... er... Primordus' minions?_ '

"A champion of the dragon, Primordus," Sieran tells her. "To fight him, the dwarves turned themselves to stone and went deep underground, where they battle still."

' _I'll need to ask Tiffany what the difference between a dragon champion and a dragon minion is,_ ' Fiona decides.

"Why did they turn themselves to stone?"

"They had to, to defeat the Great Destroyer. The only dwarf left above in Tyria is Ogden Stonehealer, who's part of the Durmand Priory."

"A stone dwarf is a member of the Priory?" Fiona says in astonishment.

"Yes, quite interesting, isn't it?" Sieran says rhetorically.

"You mentioned two factions," Fiona remembers.

"Yes, the Stone Summit dwarves were cruel zenophobes who often clashed with the more open Deldrimor dwarves." Sieran replies.

' _Don't you make a weapon out of Deldrimor steel for level ten story chapter if you make a norn character?_ ' Fiona remembers.

As the two explore the dwarven tombs, they discover more relics, rescue a couple Priory explorers (who seemd to believe Sieran's _very_ flimsy fibbing that Gixx had sent them) and encounter a pair of dredge who tells them that an unbreakable sword was sent to 'the southern ruins'.

Sieran seems interested in this, and insists they return to the Priory and see if Gixx can decipher the writing on the relics they've already discovered, to see if they can uncover any more information.

' _You're the one that insisted we come here in the first place,_ ' Fiona thinks, highly amused.

"Come on!" Sieran says, disappearing in a puff of blue. Fiona shakes her head and reappears at the Priory waypoint.

* * *

 _Author's Notes:_

Okay, guys, I'm really getting serious here. I need feedback - do you think I've put everyone in character? Do you think I should change somthing? Do you have any ideas for the development of the story?

Also, I know most of the this chapter was simply quoting off the wiki, but there's only so much I can do (especially in Fiona's case, she's only done this once, ages ago, whereas Tiffany's done her thing twice, much more recently). (It goes without saying I'm not trying to do a copyright infringement)

Do you want me to skip the parts that'll remain mostly the same (as in this chapter) as you can go look up those story chapters on the wiki and read the transcripts for yourselves, or do you like seeing it through the eyes of a living person, rather than a player? I read a fanfiction that was simply the game in story form, with more in-depth character and reasonings behind things but nothing really different. I liked that, so do you want me to continue with that or...?

Just give me some feedback! I'm starving - literally, because I fear I'm losing interest in the story, whereas reviews always make me reboot and start writing like I had at the beginning (remember, I posted once a day for the first two weeks?).

And, even if you come along way after this chapter was posted and a hundred more, (like I do all the time on other stories) a review is _always_ welcome, whether it be constructive criticism, ideas, thoughts, ways I could do better, saying good job keep it up, telling me where I might've got a bit off in keeping somebody in-character, _anything_. However review with anything else in the world! I mean, even a question on something completly unrelated to the story that could spark a PM conversation is welcome!

So, Reviews, _please_.


	5. Chapter 5: Recollections & Reassurances

SOLDIERS, SCHOLARS, AND SPIES

* * *

Summary: A summary of the last week or so. More fun playing around at the Tassof Tavern. Some memory-sharing moments later, of the two girls remembering life on Earth.

* * *

Chapter five: Recollections and Reassurances

* * *

 _Author's Notes:_

This is the _real_ chapter nineteen, guys. The real one! So here: (this was before I cut _Tyria's Real!?_ in half - it's chapter five now)

This is going to be mostly filler chapter. It'll catch you up on what's been going on the last few weeks that I didn't write.

Now, you may have noticed that I posted several chapters in my collection of one-shots. This is because I've been free for the last week, and, much as I wanted to be writing TR, I couldn't until I had feedback. Which I have now... at least enough... so yay!

I got exactly two reviews pertaining to the temporary chapter nineteen/five:

One from Aina Amaria, mostly encouragement and suggestions that I'll be happy to implement, and

One from Fiona K Sparrow, asking me to please hurry up with the plot and not drag my feet - she wants to see the plot.

Since my vote is cast on the 'get on with the plot' side, that's what I'll be doing, but the 'let's get you caught up' chapter is still here.

And it's not just third-person summary, either, instead it'll be story-fashion. You'll see.

Anyway, thanks for reviewing, and have a great time reading!

 _ **Okay, here's the story now:**_

* * *

"I've barely seen you the last week, Fiona. Been busy?"

"Very. Sieran is a _lot_ more bubbly in... than I expected," Fiona replies, barely catching herself, from saying 'in real life'. She glances quickly at Andrew behind the bar in the Tassof Tavern.

"I'd imagine," Tiffany agrees, nodding. "Forgal is all stiff and stern, like normal, you know, so I can't tell if it's more than I expected or not."

Fiona's eyebrows jump up for a fraction of a second, before nodding almost imperceptibly. "What was it like?"

"Well, after we spent most of the first evening fighting off Renegades, which I told you about, we got some information that their leader was hiding out somehwere to the east, and slightly north. Like, very slightly. Anyway, Forgal charged in, pretty much yelling, 'wake up! Lazyheads, you're under attack, wake up!'"

Fiona laughs. "Really?"

"Yeah, he's hilarious like that. He's got his quirks, like everybody has. Anyway, after the Renegades did wake up, they were still sleepy, and either ran away or drew their weapons and tried to attack, but they're terrible at it, when they've just been woken up. It's why Forgal decided to go right after, at night, instead of waiting until the next morning. Later the next morning, we had to convince Eilye Jeyne, a sergeant of the Ebon Vanguard, to let us escort her to Summit Peak to tell the peace treaty negotiators about a planned ambush."

"Convince her? Why?"

"She said she didn't need babysitters."

"You're a great babysitter," Fiona says.

"I know I'm a great babysitter, but that doesn't matter, because she doesn't need a babysitter in the first place."

"Ohh."

"Fiona," Tiffany says, crossing her arms.

Fiona rolls her eyes at Tiffany.

"Anyway, then, since we knew about the ambush in advance, we could either attack them first, or find a defensible position for them to attack."

"What'd you choose?"

"Oh, I just suggested that defending's a better idea. Make them think we don't know anything about it, but if we attack first, well, we already did that last night and they might be expecting it this time. But if we _don't_ attack, they'll think we don't know about the ambush, and attack, and be decimated when we do know about it."

"Why haven't we gone and found the Whispers base yet?" Fiona asks. "You're definitly Whispers material."

"I'm all three material, you know that, Fiona. I'm good at fighting, I'm good at reading - "

Fiona tries to hold in a snort and a laugh. (She fails.) "You've _always_ been good at reading. Only, for the last year, you've almost been better at talking than at reading."

"Hey, I couldn't talk so much if I didn't read the stuff first," Tiffany counters. "The point is, I'm good at fighting, good at reading and studying and being Priory-like, unless my idea of 'Priory' is off - "

"Well, it might be!" Fiona replies. "You've never play - " she stops abruptly, glancing around.

"I've never known much about the Priory, right," Tiffany says. "So tell me about your missions. It's taken a long while, I'd assume that either the missions took a long while, or Sieran's very relaxed on the 'whens'."

"A bit of both. Mostly, though, it was because I've never been in the Shiverpeaks before, and - "

Tiffany winces. "Youch."

"I know, right?"

"We really need to explore places for the sake of exploring," Tiffany tells Fiona.

"Yeah. Anyway, so we went to this dwarven tomb, and discovered a bunch of artifacts, and rescued some people, and stuff like that. Typical... typical 'let's go do things with people who are a higher rank than us' adventures. And we found out that a sword made of dragon's blood was missing."

Tiffany raises an eyebrow at Fiona's description of a quest or story chapter. ' _It's quite an accurate description, however,_ ' she notes. "A sword made of dragon's blood?"

"Yep. Jormag's, to be exact. Anyway, after that, we went a reported to Gixx. Turns out," Fiona draws out the last few words. She had already known this, as she'd played that story chapter, but nobody but Tiffany knows that. "Turns out, we were supposed to report in to Gixx _before_ we went there! Of course, I kind of guessed, but I'd assumed she had permission. You know? I'm just the Novice, _I_ don't know this stuff."

"I know what you mean."

"But then he put us on 'double-secret probation'. Which, from the context, I infer means something bad. And it's secret."

"Probation is when the next time you do something bad, you're out. Or in, depending on whether you're talking about jail or not."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

"Anyway, after that, we went to another lake with treasure at the bottom, and found the sword's dwarven-made scabbard, so that we wouldn't get infected with corruption."

"Please don't get infected, Fi. I don't know what I'd do."

"I do." Fiona replies promptly, a gleam of mischeif in her eye.

"What?" Tiffany asks.

"I'd tell you that - "

"If you were infected with dragon corruption, you couldn't talk," Tiffany interrupts.

"Well I'm sure it's a slow process, when the only thing infecting you is an enchanted sword." Fiona says reasonably. "Long enough at least to get a short conversation in."

"Okay, fine, fine," Tiffany grumbles. "Go on."

"I'd tell you that I was corrupted." Fiona says.

"And?" Tiffany raises an eyebrow warily, catching on. "You wouldn't. It's rea - you wouldn't. I..." she trails off, glaring at Fiona. "I wouldn't hear of it. I'd plug my ears and run. Especially since it's not the same situation and the danger isn't near as much as you-know-what-and-when."

Fiona grins evilly. "Oh, I would."

"Do it yerself, Fi. If you're able enough to talk, you're able enough to do it yourself."

"But - "

"Fi, just get on with telling me about the Priory, please..." Tiffany groans, banging her head on the table. "You know I really don't believe you when you start talking like this. My mind goes 'oh, she's joking. And if she weren't, I still can't imagine that, so bye-bye.'"

" _Your_ mind?" the emphasis is slight, but Tiffany catches it.

"Shut up, Fiona, and tell me more about Sieran or Gixx or whoever it is next."

"Fine. Anyway, we got the sword, and went back to the Priory and bring the sword in the scabbard to Gixx. Oh, did I tell you how I crossed that windy bridge I told you about?"

"Ooh, that?" Tiffany says, regaining interest. "No. How'd you do it?"

"I asked Sieran if she could make me fly."

"Huh?"

"Well, she's an elementalist, and elementalists can't fly, can they? So I assumed it was an _elementalist_ thing." ( _elementalist thing_ referring to _a Tyria's-real thing_ ). "And she probably just used air to fly. So could she do that with me, or do I have to be in tune to the elements as well?"

"Makes sense."

"She said she could try, just lifting me up a bit first, but it'd be tricky. It didn't work. It felt more like I was standing on an air vent, a really powerful one. Or wind. Like I was standing sideways in a really strong wind."

"Oh. How'd you do it then?"

"The bridge isn't the sort of bridge that's normally over water - a long thin bunch of wood tying two banks together. No, it was more like a wall. So I created a walkway along the protected side of the bridge, the bridge protecting me from the wind, and my illusionary powers protecting me from falling."

"Oh, imaginative!" Tiffany says.

"I know, right? Anyway, that's all. Oh, and I chose a minor race to study."

"Which did you choose? I chose the quaggans."

"I chose the skritt," Fiona replies. "It'll be fun."

"I can guess. You know, what'd be neat would be to learn the skritt language."

"Ohh, that would be fun."

"You two have certainly had some adventures," Petra comments, walking over with Deborah. "Tell us about it."

Tiffany sighs and glances at Fiona. ' _I just said all that happened. Oh well._ '

The two girls relate their experiences. "And later, we're going to find the Order of Whispers base and try to join," Tiffany tells them.

"Find the Whispers' hideout?" Deborah asks. "How are you going to do that?"

"Ihan mentioned it was in a cave somewhere south of Lion's Arch," Tiffany supplies.

"Somewhere south of Lion's Arch," Petra says flatly. "A cave somewhere south of Lion's Arch. What are you going to do, comb the land between Lion's Arch and Orr?"

"I doubt it's in Orr," Fiona says. "But there's plenty of people around down there, you know, fighting off Risen and the like. Zhaitan's influence is felt there more than here, way north."

"I don't like the idea of you going to close to Orr, though."

"You didn't like the idea of us going to Ebonhawke, and yet I needed to go there for one of my Vigil missions," Tiffany points out. "It could be useful. The Vigil are dedicated to fighting Zhaitan, I doubt that I wouldn't be sent to battle dragon minions."

"I'll still worry," Petra says fiercely. "I can't lose you."

"Petra. If we go, we'll be careful and do our best to avoid the Risen. I bet Fiona could disguise ourselves as Risen, and it wouldn't matter. And once we've found the place we'll know exactly where to go," Tiffany says.

"But then the people fighting the Risen would kill you!" Petra protests.

"Petra! We're sensible. We'd only have the illusion on if we were around too many Risen to handle, which I doubt will happen. We're sensible."

"Be careful, though." Deborah tells them. She gives Tiffany a look that says 'we will speak about this later'.

* * *

Later, when the two girls are alone, Tiffany sighs.

"I wish we could continue helping people like we were doing in Kessex Hills," Tiffany says. "But if you were already taken to the Shiverpeaks... all the quests that I've seen - aside from the dungeons - only take place in places you've already explored. If we're already at the point where we should have been in the Shiverpeaks - Lornar's Pass, I'd guess - then we should have been done with Gendarran Fields and the Harathi Hinterlands, the two zones north of Lion's Arch. We should grab a bunch of waypoints in those places - especially in the area around Vigil Keep. I've already had to go there, and I had to ask Forgal to take me there on foot, because I didn't know the way. I've got that waypoint now, along with a string of them from Lion's Arch to the Keep, but that was just simply embarrassing. I suppose it's natural - I've never been to the Vigil Keep, and there's no reason for Forgal to think I've been there before, but that didn't happen in Guild Wars, and so it was just odd."

"I had the same moment with Kekt," Fiona tells her. "I was more on my own, but at least it was a short way. Sieran had just disappeared after telling me where."

"Heh. I doubt Sieran would have minded, either," Tiffany agrees. "Forgal, on the other hand..."

"Yeah, I know what you mean."

"So, exploration is in order. First of the areas that we know we'll need - first, I need to _somehow_ remember where in the Shiverpeaks helping the quaggans takes place, and then to _somehow_ figure out where in all of Tyria the skritt thing takes place, that none of us have done before, and have no idea where it is, and there's no such thing as the wiki any more, so we can't - "

"I know, Tiffany. But calm down. Like you just said, Sieran won't mind if I haven't been there before, it's just a matter of telling her before she disappears. What do you remember about the Shiverpeaks place?"

"Well, it's a lake, near a mountain that has jotun all over it and a set of ritual stones at the top. There's drakes around the lake. I... think... there's some sort of pass between the mountains... that has a bridge over it, maybe, I don't know about the bridge, it could just be a tunnel... Well. It's probably not somewhere outside Lornar's Pass, and we need places all over there for other quests - getting allies for the Claw Island things, and other stuff."

"Wait." Fiona says, pausing. "A lake? Why?"

"I'm dealing with quaggans, they live underwater. I'm going to swim down there, talk to them, get out, go find their Pastkeeper, go to the ritual stones and do a protective spell, come back and fight off Icebrood while the quaggans get to safety - "

"Underwater?" Fiona asks.

"Yeah, why?" Tiffany asks, confused.

"In the _Shiverpeaks?_ Tiffany, the Shiverpeaks are freaking _cold_! I didn't go in water - Tiff, the lake - "

"Is frozen..." Tiffany's eyes widen in horror. "Oh _no_."

Fiona nods with a grimace and a sympathetic expression. "It's life."

"Life." Tiffany says. "Why? Why us? Nobody else has been pulled in."

"Aaand the possibilities are endless," Fiona nods. "Once you say _that_ , anything could have happened.

"Yeah, right, that happened," Tiffany says, rolling her eyes.

"Hey, guys?" Deborah pokes her head in the door. "Can we talk about that foray south you're planning?"

"Sure. What about it?"

"Why?"

"So we can join the Order of Whispers," Tiffany says. "They have agents all over Tyria, and most people don't know who they are or not. I'd like to be a part of that."

"Why? You're already in another Order."

"We planned this, Deborah," Tiffany says. "We purposely joined an Order that wasn't the Order of Whispers, because the Whispers people understand subterfuge. If I'd joined the Order of Whispers just then, then the Vigil wouldn't have taken me on. But the Order understands that sort of thing, and I'm betting they'll let us in. The Whispers base will probably be very well hidden, but we know it's in a cave, and we know it's somewhere directly south of Lion's Arch. We'll just explore every cave we find until we find it."

"Please don't get hurt," Deborah says seriously. "Petra would... I don't know what Petra would do if you got killed."

"We'll be careful, Deborah." Tiffany assures Deborah.

Deborah smiles. "Whatever."

"Whatever," Tiffany and Fiona say together.

"Something odd has to happen when two people say it at once," Fiona decides.

"Yes, but what?"

"No countercurse?"

"Naw."

"Oh! They can't retaliate. But only if it wasn't planned. It doesn't count if it was planned."

"That works," Tiffany agrees. "So, Deborah, you can't call us whatevers, but - "

"But I _can_ tickle you," Deborah points out.

Tiffany and Fiona run for the door.

Halfway down the hall, Fiona gasps. " **Tiffany... waypoint. Closest one.** "

"Got it," Tiffany replies, a mischeivous look on her face. " **Don't tell her, though**."

" **Of course**."

"What are you saying?" Deborah calls. "I can't hear you!"

"That's the point!" Fiona throws over her shoulder.

"P-point!" Tiffany pants

"No, you're - acting like Falcon!" Fiona replies.

"I'm not - saying it - _you_ are!" Tiffany answers.

"What? I didn't start it, _you_ did!"

"You're lucky - lucky you have the safety - safety of being my sister!"

"Safety of being my sister?" Fiona demands. "Safety of being my sister? What's that supposed to mean? Maybe _you_ need the safety of being my sister!"

"Did you just - condemn my - my blessing of safety?"

"Not even Deborah needs _that_."

"I'm surprised you'd - think of that - instead of trying to - trying to tickle _her_ instead." Tiffany gasps.

"I don't know what you're trying to do, but it's not working," Deborah calls. She's close. Too close.

"If this - this monster - has an easy-kill - switch, I'm going with you," Tiffany says desperately. "Fiona! It's so good to - run with you - I missed this _so_ much. Ah! You're - gone!"

"I missed this too, Miss genius," Fiona retorts.

The two disappear in a puff of blue just as they round the corner from Deborah. The dusty blue settles by the time Deborah gets there, and she scratches her head, wondering where they went.

"We so need to do that more often," Tiffany pants as she sits down on a bench just outside of Salma district. "The quoting thing. We went through a lot of them." *

"Yeah. Was fun," Fiona says. "And now... now I'm exhausted."

"What if... what if Deborah finds us..."

"We can. We can waypoint to Lion's Arch. Good starting point for finding. 'Finding' the Whispers hideout."

Tiffany gives Fiona a tired thumbs-up. "Later. First we need to. Need to rest a bit."

"Where?"

"Mat and Ayla's house."

"Got it," Fiona says, puffing away without moving. As many times as Tiffany had seen this before, it just looks bizarre; a puff of blue smoke (but not really smoke) erupted around her, and when it faded, Fiona was gone. Tiffany shakes her head and waypoints to Shaemoor.

"Wait up, Fiona," she calls.

Fiona tiredly trudges up to the door, next to which a quaint little sign is, informing any visitors that this is the Sartini residence.

"Tiffany and Fiona are here!" Mat hollers from inside, and the door bursts open as he barrels into Fiona.

"I haven't seen you all week, Fiona!" Mat says. "Tiffany's been here a few times, but still!"

"What's wrong?" Ayla asks from the doorway.

"Deborah was chasing us, to tickle us, and we got away with the waypoint. She's been practicing running, I think," Tiffany tells her.

"Oh. So you're tired out, then?"

"Wouldn't that be cheating?" Mat asks slyly.

"We never made a rule that said you couldn't waypoint," Tiffany replies with a smirk.

"Cunning," Katherine says from the doorway. "Well, come on in, you two look exhausted. Want a drink of water?"

"That'd be wonderful, Katherine." Fiona replies. "Thank you."

"Oh, it's no problem," Katherine says from the kitchen. "It's just water."

"Your water tastes better than the Andrew's does," Tiffany volunteers.

"Oh, that's just because we live outside the city. Sewer systems and all don't make for particularly sweet water, even if it's purified."

"Makes sense," Fiona agrees.

"So, you were playing that monster Deborah game?"

"Yep," Fiona nods. "She's gotten faster; her muscles probably degraded while she was a bandit captive."

"Agreed. So what's Deborah doing now?"

"Probably hunting all over the house for us," Tiffany grins in victory. "Oh, no. Fiona, she'll find our secret passages."

"We're rested enough now - let's go tickle her until she surrenders. Mat, Ayla, want to come with?"

"Cool!" Ayla says, bouncing off her seat. "I can be on Deborah's team this time."

Tiffany's eyes widen and she disappears in a poff of blue. "Fiona, she'll tell Deborah about the passageways!"

"Let's go," Fiona determines, having waypointed too.

* * *

 _Author's Notes:_

How do you like it?

During the writing of this, I came up with a bizarre chapter. Head on over to my one shot compilation and check it out - it'll be chapter six. Just tell me in the reviews whether you want something like that to actually happen in this story. You'll see.

* The quoting thing: Me and Fiona were taking quotes from Canach, Taimi, and Braham from Heart of Thorns and messing them up to fit our current predicament. See if you can see which quotes are whose - they aren't messed up too bad! When Fiona said 'that's the point' (or maybe Deborah did... I forget) and I said 'point!' that actually happens with me and Falcon.

Me: That's the point.

Falcon: Oo, _point_.

Me: I didn't say it, you did.

F: What? I'm not saying it, _nature_ is.

Both: laugh

See? It's rather funny. (I laugh at the craziest things, but you know that by now... hopefully... if not, that needs to happen more...)


	6. Chapter 6: Echoes

SOLDIERS, SCHOLARS, AND SPIES

* * *

Summary: Tiffany and Fiona go out to find the Whisper's base - the Chantry of Secrets. It's hard to find. Really. They talk about things the while.

* * *

Chapter six: Echoes

* * *

 _Author's Notes:_

So sorry for the long delay…

While it might seem like my memory is super-good, on Tiffany remembering the details around the Whispers base, it's not. Half of it is wrong and one thing I can't know if it's right until I get in the game and check, but still...

And I realized something - Tiffany's plan for killing Zhaitan does _not_ include several things vital to the Pact. At the end of 'Victory or Death', Trahearne says something along the lines of; "We have formed this Pact and _tempered it in battle_." Killing Zhaitan in one blow (as planned) is not only unrealisitc, but doesn't 'temper' the Pact.

And guess what else it doesn't do? It doesn't cleanse Orr. I tremble, thinking of the results of this. Trahearne would lead the Pact to victory, and then leave to complete his Wyld Hunt. Oh dear. We can't have that, can we?

I need to find a way to fix this. Review with your ideas, please!

 _ **Okay, here's the story now:**_

* * *

"Bloodtide Coast is directly south of Lion's Arch," Tiffany tells Fiona, early the next morning. "and I'm quite certain that there's an entrance that leads right to it - not an asura gate - near Fort Marriner."

"Where?" Fiona repeats, confused.

"The Vigil HQ in Lion's Arch," Tiffany explains. "Anyway, it should be just east of there, and then we'll explore every cave. I think it's more south than just by Lion's Arch."

"Let's go, then." Fiona says, shrugging.

As the two walk through Lion's Arch, Tiffany thinks. _'I agree with that one Lionguard who didn't like Lion's Arch,_ ' Tiffany thinks. _'the other guy protested about how grand it was, but he replied by saying that 'the old LA wasn't grand. It had character.' I like it better like this.'_

"So," Tiffany says, looking out at Bloodtide Coast. "we know it's on top of a point of interest - like _that'll_ help - by a hero point - in this case, an asura who challenged you to combat to study magical flows or something - there's a guy in a weird tent that that your character recognizes - I tried to figure out why she thought that, but couldn't - there's a waypoint nearby, and it's on an island. Not in an underwater cave, which means we get to avoid the Inquest - somewhat - but on an island. The mouth of the cave faces south. I think the cave is south, as well, although I don't think there's any way to tell the difference between Bloodtide Coast and Sparkfly Fen. We'll just look through the islands for caves, particularly with waypoints on them."

"So, go south?"

"Naw, let's look for islands with waypoints, and look in the caves facing south. Should we follow the road?"

"Road's more likely to have bridges," Fiona shrugs. "But I doubt the Whispers base - in real life, anyway - will have a big neon sign saying 'we're here!'"

Tiffany snorts in laughter. "Your memory is like a sieve, I didn't think you'd remember that."

Fiona rolls her eyes. "It was funny, of course I remembered it."

"Yeah, but _we're_ the heros. And _we_ don't have a big neon sign..."

"Oh, but we do!" Fiona snickers, then creates an illusion of a neon sign saying 'the heros are here!'.

Both girls begin laughing.

"Either way - roads or not?"

"Bloodtide Coast didn't strike me as the type of place to have a lot of roads. Maybe along the edges, but not really. We can follow what there is for a bit, I suppose."

As the girls walk along the pathway, they chat about things.

"My overall memory is improving," Fiona comments at one point.

"How do you mean?"

"The waypoints. Dozens and dozens of waypoints, and I can only use them if I remember them. So my memory - and my capacity for memorizing things - is getting better."

"Well, God made people so that they had the capacity to memorize the whole entire Bible. Pretty big memory people've got, huh?"

"Wow, yeah."

* * *

"Hey! I'm not a sylvari!" Tiffany says suddenly, after a bit of silence.

Fiona looks at her oddly. "...Of course you're not a sylvari."

"But - but! Remember, back when I first started playing? Dad was a sylvari, and Mom was a human. Since me and Mom made our accounts at the same time, I copied Dad. I made a sylvari. I played that for a while, made some awesome memories of Caledon Forest, and then I copied Mom, and made a human. And made some awesome memories of Queensdale. To the point that when I started playing again, I couldn't decide what I wanted to be - human or sylvari. And I never could decide whether to regard myself as a human or a sylvari. And then I decided, 'you know, I'm half and half. Sylvari on my dad's side, human on my mom's side.' Even though that kind of makes no sense, it should be the other way around, Pale _Mother_ , but still. And I'm _not_. I'm a full human. And it's odd - I still feel like a sylvari. Mentally, anyway. I played sylvari early levels, I played sylvari Heart of the Thorns, and I played those things as a human, too. It's just I identify more with human because I played the in-betweens, too."

"But you knew that when you created this charater."

"I was focussing on the fact that I don't want to be in a body that's not mine - I'd be off-balance, and I wouldn't be with you." Tiffany replies. "It's just odd - you know, I had this one dream once that seemed so real, and it clarified several things, that's when I started thinking I was part sylvari. Maybe I did have the Dream when I was little - I just don't remember it, because I'm part human. And then the Dream told me what I needed to know, later. When I needed it. And I just feel like part sylvari. It clears that up, you know? Settles me, sort of. I can't describe it. Kind of clicks."

"You're rambling again," Fiona points out absentmindedly. "Does it matter? Doesn't it click even more to know that you are a human, since you _are_ , and we are _in_ Tyria now, and it should be final?"

"Yeah, yeah, I know. But still... "

"Tiff, I doubt you could have created a half-sylvari, half-human character if you'd tried. And either way, you would have wound up in one culture or another. It's one thing to say, from the outside, seeing it as a game, that you're half and half, but really, you'd be growing up really weirdly. And for the reasons you said earlier, it's still best for practical reasons that you're human."

"Fine, fine." Tiffany grumbles. "It's just weird."

"Tiff." Fiona states, glancing at Tiffany. " _You_ are weird. You've said it ten million thousand times in the past - no really - you even say 'you're weird. No weirder than me, a different kind of weird from me, but you're still weird.'"

"Oh. Yeah, but this is a different type of weird. An unsettled type of weird. Did you know when I type the word weird - before Tyria, of course - it comes out werid?"

"Yes, you've said that a dozen times, also. Are you sure you're not crazy?"

"Fiona. Crazy is just another word for weird. A more extreme version of weird."

"Shoulda known," Fiona mumbles to herself. "Is there anything else to talk about?"

"Not really. Except we're coming to a bridge."

The girls, crossing the bridge, come to Stormbluff Haven. Continuing southward, they come to a 'tent town' of people from crashed ships, with a grouchy Lionguard keeping the peace.

Crossing the shallow band of water that separates the island they had been on with the next one, they come to what seems to be a pirate hideout - the Covington pirates.

Wandering around the countryside, at length Fiona espies a tall tower. The girls climb the lookout tower, and Tiffany looks around for a familiar sight. Southward, she sees a high cliff that seems familiar, so they head in that direction, turning slightly right to go around the cliff. The familiarity wears out quickly, though, and Tiffany is lost.

The two wander randomly through the islands, with Tiffany occasionally seeing a familiar sight, and telling Fiona what it is.

"This is the place an event takes place, you have to kill Taidha Covington. She's the leader of the Covington pirates."

"Covington pirates... why Covington?" Fiona giggles.

Tiffany throws Fiona a sideways glance. "Don't ask me, they're pirates. Taidha is spelled T-A-I-D-H-A, but most people spell it without the H."

"How do you know this stuff?"

"About Taidha? Most of it I know from map chat, and I looked from a nearby cliff while people swarmed in to kill her, with one guy in map chat complaining about how they always go inside the ship, instead of drawing her out the right way. I didn't take part, I just wanted to get to the vista after, but I suppose it's a bit meta event like the thing in Tarir. I did this zone while I was still all 'wow, I've actually got most zones completed that I've passed through on this character, keep up the streak!' and so I was here for a while, and got to see the two-hour loop of the meta and just learn the map. You can only learn the map really well by knowing at least a bit about the meta, as well as map completion. For example, I could probably draw Auric Basin map pretty well, not to mention explain in detail the way the whole meta goes."

"Please don't," Fiona begs. "I'm begging you here, _do. Not. Do that._ "

"Well, who said I was gonna? I've got better things to talk about. That's why you haven't heard it before now." Tiffany grouches. "I've done terribler things, you know. No need to act as if merely _talking_ is a crime worthy of... hmm. Well, something terrible, anyway."

Fiona rolls her eyes, making sure Tiffany sees it. "I _know_ you have."

"Good thing it's real."

Fiona raises an eyebrow. "You mean you _want_ to?"

"No, you dolt!" Tiffany groans, slapping Fiona on the arm. "Good thing it's real, so I can make absolute sure it _never_ gets _close_ to happening."

"Ohhh, yeeeaaah, that makes a _ton_ more sense, mmm-hmm. Yep. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm." Fiona says, nodding her head vigorously with a knowing look in her eye.

"Now you're channeling Falcon," Tiffany scowls.

"Oops," Fiona snarks. Then, "What's this place?"

"This is in the absolute corner of the zone. Southeast corner, and it's hard to get to without trying, because it's shielded from the east by a long peninsula of cliff, only access is from the north. We're not going to find what we're looking for here. Only a heart and some science experiments. Turn a-roundy it is."

A while later, Fiona sighs. "And we came in a circle," she says, eyeing the tiny Priory encampment on a rocky beach with a waypoint - Mournful waypoint - nearby. "Not entirely circle, of course, we're still in the middle of nowhere, but..."

"Oh well." Tiffany says, shrugging. "Should we just wander randomly around without a purpose in mind for a while? That's what I do sometimes... or did, I suppose... I mean, north is the only way to go, unless you want to go back the way we came or visit the quaggans, to the south."

"Nothing else to do. Only it's getting kind of late," Fiona says, looking at the sun. "They _can't_ have any time machines around here?" she mumbles under her breath.

"Whatchya want a time machine for?" Tiffany asks.

Fiona blinks. And sighs. "Not _that_ sort of time machine, you dolt. A watch or a computer or a clock or any sort of... time- _telling_ machine, I suppose." she explains. Then she frowns. "Why _wouldn't_ we want a time machine? You don't just ask 'what do you want a time machine for?' What do you mean, what do you want a time machine for? We could go back to before we came to Tyria. Or if it doesn't work like that, go back to... I don't know, before Snaff died and whatnot."

"Fionariaynia," Tiffany grumbles, drawing out the name and syllables for the fun of it. "I meant right exactly now, and why'd you think of it. Question's answered now, of course, but still..." Tiffany trails off mumbling. "But anyways, yeah, we'll keep going 'till dark - I see no point in blundering around a place chock-full of Inquest and pirates and numerous other hostiles - Inquest prolly have a see-in-the-dark contraption, would be surprised if they didn't - but we'll keep going 'till dark then waypoint home. Unless somebody logs on, in which case we'll ask them - Fio _na!_ We can get them to log on and find it for us - or look it up - or something!"

"Naw, that'd be cheating." Fiona says. As Tiffany mouths 'cheating' in confusion, she continues, "'Sides, they're not getting on today. Remember?"

"Right," Tiffany says, nodding her head sharply in lieu of snapping her fingers. She's been trying all her life, but she can't snap her fingers. "So, wander around aimlessly, it is. I'll lead for a while."

Tiffany starts walking. "Only way for this to work in real life is to talk about something," she tells Fiona.

Fiona looks at Tiffany. Then, she brings her shoulders up in a shrug and keeps them there. Her hands spread out to either side of her and her eyes widen. She shakes her head, flapping her hands back and forth. " _I_ don't know what to talk about! Don't ask me!"

Tiffany looks at Fiona for a moment and snorts with laughter.

"What?" Fiona asks, returning to her normal position.

"I was imagining how on earth I'd describe that look if I tried to write it down. Probably looks really ridiculous."

"What, this?" Fiona asks, returning to her 'i-don't-know-or-really-care' stance. Marred, of course, by her eyebrow quirked in question.

"Yeah. How'd you describe it?"

"I see," Fiona says after a moment. Then she laughs. "Yeah, you're right."

The two fall silent for a time.

Then Tiffany lets out a little bark of laughter.

"What?" Fiona asks.

"I was thinking. Logan's intials are L. T. And Lt. is the abbreviation for Liutenant, but he's Captain. I thought it was rather funny."

"Oh, wow," Fiona says, laughing. "I never thought of that before."

"Aand we're back at Stormbluff Beacon," Tiffany says, looking around the Lionguard fort. "Want to go back north and start over?"

"Sure," Fiona shrugs. "There was that eastern path that we ignored. I'm sure there's a corner of this place we haven't explored yet."

The girls disappear in a puff of blue.

"I didn't know that island was so big," Fiona comments, looking across the water at the island they'd just waypointed away from. "It looks like a bunch of cliffs east of Stormbluff Beacon."

"Buncha cliffs isn't what we're looking for," Tiffany says. "We're looking for a cave with a tent and a waypoint by it."

"Okay," Fiona says.

"C'mon, let's head east." Tiffany says, heading along the road.

"Oh, look at that waterfall." Tiffany says as the pair near a bridge, some time later. "It looks pretty, especially reflecting the sunset."

"Yeah, that is cool. We stopping for the night, soon?"

"Probably, yeah. Look, there's a Lionguard haven."

"How do you know it's called a haven?"

"Listen, Fi. Every single Lionguard outpost I've ever seen, save Stormbluff Beacon, is some sort of haven. Black Haven, Overlake Haven, Swamplost Haven - "

"Yes, yes okay," Fiona says, holding up her hands in surrender.

Tiffany smirks. "Good. Aand we're here. Sir," she says, addressing one of the Lionguard, "What's the name of this place?"

"Marshwatch Haven, miss." he replies.

"Thank you," Tiffany replies, smirking at Fiona. "Toldja," she says, once they are out of earshot. "Ah, there's a waypoint here. Good."

After they memorize the waypoint's location, Tiffany looks at the fork in the road a little past the haven. "That way would lead through the mountains," Tiffany says. Trying to picture the world map in her head, she tells Fiona, "It should lead to either... either the Shiverpeaks somehwere, or... I don't know. There is a strip of area sort of like Lornar's Pass that is unexplorable, it might lead to there. Although if it did, why there'd be a path to it I don't know."

"You've got a tight grasp of that map, haven't you, Tiffany," Fiona remarks.

"Naw, I just know the general layout of Tyria pretty well. Oh! It could lead to the Crystal Desert. But I get the feeling there's a lot more to the Shiverpeaks than that. Ehh. Doesn't matter - it's not what we're looking for."

"Where's that path go?" Fiona asks, pointing south.

"Who knows," Tiffany replies, shrugging. "Well, we can explore it in the morning. Time to go home."

The two disappear in a puff of blue again.

* * *

"Did you find it?" Petra asks them.

"Nope," Tiffany replies. "I saw a lot of fake landmarks, because the area down there is kind of repetitive - but then, we're looking for a cave with a waypoint by it. Super common, if you ask me," she snorts. "I mean really. People go in caves all the time - excavations, hidey-holes from the bad guys, clearing out the bad guys, bases for some camp or other, bandit hideouts, and people love their waypoints. So, no, what we're looking for isn't extraordinary at all - rather smart, if you don't want it to be found. We're really lucky we had 'south of Lion's Arch' to guide us. If not, I doubt we'd even bother trying. It's easier to find a Whispers Agent than their base if you don't have any guidance."

"Did you get hurt? Get in any battles?" Petra presses.

"We avoided the pirates pretty easily - they're all drunk, anyway, and they spill a lot of it, and mixed with the natural water surrounding them and the stink of pirates anyway - they're just nautical bandits, really - we didn't have any trouble." Tiffany snickers slightly. "We smelled them out and avoided them. It was the Risen that were a bit troublesome - they're a real problem back there, you know. But we defeated them right easily."

"I thought you were going to use illusions?"

"Hey, the less Risen around, the better, right?" Fiona interjects. "And since they were all easy targets and died quickly, it's better for everyone. I mean, it's not like they'll - not like Zhaitan'll bother sending more from Orr just to slouch around and look threatening but not really be. It's not like we're a threat to his forces or anything, just the two of us."

"I suppose," Petra says dubiously.

"Suppose again," Fiona snickers under her breath to Tiffany. Tiffany nods with a faint smile.

"Well, we've got to get to bed. The more we can be out looking in the daylight, the better."

"Why daylight, specifically?" Deborah asks.

"Can't see in the dark," Fiona tells her reasonably. "Plus there's Inquest out there, and who knows what they've invented."

" _Something_ to help them see in the dark, no doubt. They've got luminescent stuff all over the place, anyway. Useful to them, and to us, because we know where they are. 'S not like any _not_ -Inquest asura are around." Tiffany continues. "Actually, there are, but you can tell they're not Inquest because there's other races helping them, and it's not deep dark down in a lake,"

"Anyway, more daylight for us, the better. More sleep the better, too."

"Hey, you barely used your mind today," Tiffany scolds as the two head upstairs to their room. "If you wake up in the morning and announce you've got to rest your mind, I'll - I'll hit you on the head."

"Yeah, right," Fiona rolls her eyes.

"I had a thought," Tiffany says, switching her train of thought. "Risen repopping in the game after we killed them."

"Yeah, and?"

"And the lore explanation is - Zhaitan reanimates bodies, right? That's how he gets his minions in the first place. What's to stop him reanimating the minions we kill, as well as the ones his minions kill?"

Fiona stops. "That. Is _scary_."

Tiffany turns away and starts putting away her bow in their closet. Her voice comes out muffled. "Zhaitan's scary anyway. We're just not afraid of him because we've already kill - "

"Hey, girls?" Deborah asks, entering the room without knocking.

Tiffany freezes, sending a glance at Fiona that is hidden by her being in the closet. ' _That. Was way, way, way, way, way,_ _ **way**_ _too close for comfort._ ' she shudders. _What_ Deborah would have heard if she'd come in a split second later...

"What were you talking about?" Deborah asks. "You're not afraid of Zhaitan because you've already killed...?"

"We've already killed a ton of his Risen," Tiffany says, putting on a show of grumpiness. "Mostly annoyances, really. And we _are_ afraid of him, just not relatively. To the common people of Kryta who've never seen a Risen before, and are therefore terrified of imaginary creatures as big as their houses who'll eat them in their sleep. Or of their dead friends and relatives in their graves clawing their way up and attacking them and turning _them_ into Risen. It's all over-exaggerated anyway - Zhaitan's influence has to be really pronounced in an area for him to be able to reanimate things from a distance. He's not got that far into Kryta. Or even where we were earlier."

"So what _are_ Risen?" Deborah asks curiously.

"Humans, norn, asura, charr, hylek, even quaggans, that were dead - "Fiona starts,

" - from when Orr sunk, generally - " Tiffany volunteers.

" - that Zhaitan reanimated." Fiona says loudly. "His minions will stitch together monstrosities from other body parts, but they're just mostly scary, and can be killed like any other Risen.

"You know, I've seen Risen quaggan, but I've never seen Risen skritt." Tiffany says suddenly. "That would just be terrifying. It's sad to see a Risen quaggan, and it makes me mad at Zhaitan that he'd corrupt _quaggans_ \- because they're _quaggans_ , you know - but skritt? Skritt are like little children. So are quaggans, but different. To see a skritt working for Zhaitan would just unnerve me, you know? But I've never seen one."

"Skritt are smarter together, aren't they?" Deborah says. "So they probably all packed up and moved away from Zhaitan. Making new 'scratches' or whatever they call their hidey-holes."

"They all moved to Kryta," Tiffany grumbles. "And they steal all our shinies."

Fiona snorts with laughter. "You mean they steal our old junk?"

"They'll steal cog wheels from places that need them, and make their homes inside old factories and farmhouses," Tiffany grumbles. "People need those cog wheels. What do the skritt even _do_ with all their shinies, anyway?" she asks, frowning. "Love on them and polish them all day?"

"Like - " Fiona starts, but stops.

"Like what?" Tiffany asks, wary of Deborah's questioning look.

"Like the way you polish that bow of yours all day," Fiona says weakly.

Tiffany snorts. "I _do_ polish the bow, because it won't work otherwise. But yeah, I suppose that's how skritt treat their shinies. But the shinies haven't got a use - what do the skritt want shinies for?"

"Capture one and ask," Fiona offers, yawning.

"Deborah just said they're smarter together. What if it's not smart enough to tell me?"

"They're smarter than _that_." Fiona rolls her eyes.

"And you could probably just ask, no need to capture one," Deborah says, before leaving the room.

Tiffany darts across the room and peers through a peephole she'd made in the door a while back. "She's gone," she reports after a moment, leaving the door.

"So, what was that about _sniffing_ out the pirates? You know your sense of smell is literally non-existent. Really."

"Oh, I didn't tell you?" Tiffany grins evilly. "We clicked the 'default' button in the 'character creation', so supposedly these are our bodies, but differences do need to happen - like being magical. How do you think waypoints work? I don't even have the allergies anymore - meaning no more stuffy nose 24/7, which means I actually get to see how good my sense of smell is normally. It's great."

"That's cool. I had noticed you'd stopped blowing your nose _all the time_."

"Well, good thing, too - I've not seen a single box of Kleenex in Tyria."

"Oh."

"Yeppers. Now, I really am tired, and I'm probably going to have nightmares about Risen skritt, so shut up and let me sleep." Tiffany crawls into her bed.

"I wasn't even talking," Fiona grumbles, getting into her own. A clone appears and turns off the light.

Tiffany and Fiona grin twin maniacal grins in the darkness.

"That has always been - and always will be - the coolest part of going to bed," Tiffany tells Fiona. "We used to argue over who got out of bed to turn on the light."

"Or we'd order Eden to do it," Fiona offers.

"Eden was out of bed anyway."

"True."

The girls fall silent, before dropping off to sleep.

* * *

"Well, you're up early," Petra comments.

"We did tell you we wanted to be out and about early," Tiffany points out. "It took us _all day_ yesterday, and we didn't find anything. We're getting a head start this morning."

"Honestly, I'm surprised they didn't just waypoint out of their room," Deborah says, coming down the stairs behind the two girls.

Fiona snorts.

"We wouldn't do that," Tiffany protests.

"You so _would_ ," Deborah grumbles. "I think we need a new rule - no waypointing while I'm chasing you. Got it?"

"We can't do that, Debs." Tiffany says, shaking her head solemnly. "I can agree to that if we _specify_ that it's only while playing Deborah the Monster or any other games, but I can't do the ambiguous 'while you're chasing me', because then what?"

"Huh?"

"What if you die, and then Zhaitan turns you into a Risen and you're chasing us and we can't get away because we swore we wouldn't waypoint while you were chasing me?"

"Tiff-an-ee," Fiona groans. "It's not an Unbreakable Vow."

"And so it isn't," Tiffany agrees. "But my honor demands - "

"It wouldn't be me chasing you," Deborah suggests. "It would be my body, just... possessed by Zhaitan, I guess."

"Oh. But what if - "

"Tiffany!" Fiona groans, tugging on Tiffany's arm. "Early start, remember?"

Tiffany smacks her forehead. "Oh, no, I _completely_ forgot!" Then, she falls flat on the floor and holds her breath and doesn't move.

Fiona's shoulders slump and she sighs. Occasionally, back on Earth, she'd walk in on Tiffany doing this, but half a minute later she'd gasp for air and sit up. However, Petra and Deborah had never seen this before.

"...Is she alright?" Petra asks worriedly. Fiona sees a tensing of Tiffany's facial features as she tries not to laugh. Fiona decies to play in on the joke.

"No, she's not alright," Fiona snarls. She makes herself look like a bandit, using her illusions. She grabs Tiffany's arm, and leans down and whispers the name of a waypoint to Tiffany, before the two girls disappear simultaneously in a puff of blue.

"Andrew!" Petra yells. "Andrew, a bandit kidnapped Tiffany! And I have no idea where Fiona is!"

Andrew comes up from the basement, looking grumpy. "Those girls and their tricks again - "

"No, really. Tiffany and Fiona were talking, and then Tiffany fell on the floor, Fiona turned into a bandit and waypointed her out!"

"Show me. Petra, you be Fiona, Deborah, you be Tiffany." Andrew says.

The two women glance at each other and shrug, before replaying the event for Andrew, telling him when the illusions came on.

"Okay, okay," Andrew says tiredly. "If it was really a kidnapping, I doubt the illusion would've come undone - they'd want to protect their identity. If it was a joke, they'll come tell us later. If it's neither - "

"How could it be neither?" Deborah demands.

"Their entire existence could be an illusion," Andrew points out mildly. At Petra and Deborah's shocked looks, Andrew rolls his eyes. "What have we to say it's not?" Then, he sees Tiffany and Fiona outside the open door of the tavern, behind the two older women. "I mean, for all we know, they _always_ could be bandits disguised as - "

"Andrew," Petra says. "Stop it. That's just - "

"Just a brilliant imagination he's got!" Tiffany says brightly, entering the inn. "I wouldn't have thought up something like that."

"How do we know you're not illusions?" Deborah asks suspiciously.

Tiffany gives Fiona a look that says 'now see what you've done?' Fiona huffs.

"It was a joke," she grumbles. "I thought it was funny."

Petra snorts. "You do that again and you won't go looking for the third Order."

"S'not like you could stop us," Fiona grumbles. "You couldn't stop Miss Bandit from stealing Tiffany away, not that it actually happened. I played along to her, and she played along to me."

"I could tether you to the house," Petra threatens.

"You wouldn't," Tiffany gasps. The tether is used for little children - toddlers, for example - to prevent them from running away or getting lost. It is normally a lot shorter - say, within a few yards of the person holding the tether.

"Does the tether work through waypointing?" Fiona queries.

"It's never been tested, because of the _young age_ at which the tether is normally used, but we could certainly try."

"I'd ensure you simply tethered illusions, then," Fiona retorts. "Not that it would do anything."

"This is all theoretical." Tiffany says simply.

"Why?"

"Because you said 'next time', but there won't be a next time, will there?"

"Oh. Well, if there is - "

"Let's just go look for our cave," Fiona grumbles to Tiffany. "Let's go." the two disappear.

"Tethering them to the house, Petra? Really?" Andrew asks.

"I was worried," Petra explains. "And I still am, honestly. If illusions really work that well..."

"It'll be fine, Pet." Andrew tells her fondly.

* * *

"So, where to now?" Fiona asks Tiffany.

"Let's take that path south we spotted last night," Tiffany suggests. "It's the only way to go from here that's not back the way we came."

The two young women start down the path, but barely are they clear of the haven when Tiffany wants to look over a nearby cliff.

"Look, cannons. I remember this place - some sort of pirates are further west, and - in the game, anyway - you could shoot the cannons at the pirates. However, I don't know where the Whispers base is from here."

"I don't know where to go," Fiona says. "We're wandering around on a whim. Who knows. Want to go look around?"

"Sure. The Orders here - as well as the Lionguard - are trying to subdue the pirates. Let's go pretend to be pirates for a little while. Gather information. When we find the Whispers base, they might not let us in."

"We'll just ask, politely of course, to see their leader." Fiona says reasonably.

Tiffany looks at Fiona and bursts out laughing.

"Fiona, Fiona, Fiona," she says, after she recovers. " _Nobody_ knows who the leader is."

"Then how can he lead?"

"Only three people know who he is - the Preceptors. They aaare... somebody somebody somebody somebody... ah! Doern Vale-something, Halvora Snapdagger, aaand... I can't remember. They lead, effectively, but the real head is... you know, I don't even know his rank. He could be _anybody_."

"Anybody?"

"Yeppee." Tiffany says, skipping along. After a moment, she said, "could be Taimi."

"Really." Fiona says, with only a hint of curiousity. Mostly skepticism.

"Well, probably not, but it could be. That's how little anybody knows about him-or-her."

"Wow."

"It could be the leader of another Order. Want to go around this island?"

"Sure. Not like we'll find anything, though."

They walk in silence for a while. Tiffany ponders something that had been happening since she'd come to Tyria: echoes.

 _Flashback_ _:_

 _Upon entrance to Tyria_ _:_

 _As the two stepped cautiously outside of the city, Tiffany noticed someone shouting for everyone to get to the inn._

 _"Everybody get to the inn! We can protect you at the inn!" Tiffany realized that the Seraph's voice carried with it an echo; it seemed to be a different language, but none that she had heard before. It carried a heavy accent, as well. She dismissed it as another crazy something-or-other - she'd just been brought to_ Tyria _. But in her subconscious, she knew that the echo was another language, that spoken by the inhabitants of Tyria._

 _Later_ _:_

 _Tiffany turned in time to see two people rushing in the door, with Fiona on their heels._

" _Tiffany, did you - oh, you did." Fiona started. Tiffany noticed that Fiona's voice held the odd echo, too._

" _There they are, children." Tiffany told the little ones. "Go see your parents. I have to go fight the centaurs now, okay?" Judging by Fiona's puzzled frown, her voice held the echo as well. Tiffany shook her head and dismissed it._

 _Next day_ _:_

 _"Whoa - Tiff, you're sure about bringing them? It could be dangerous!" Fiona said._

 _"We'll be fine._ _ **We never died until we were done with the ten quest, when it was not real. And that was only when we were being rash. We can manage**_ _."_

 _"_ _ **Fine**_ _." Fiona replied shortly, after a moment. Her voice carried a very odd echo. Rather than Tyrian, of which Tiffany had learned a few words over the last day or so, this seemed different. '_ Well,' _she reasoned, '_ Shilgni is based off of english, kind of, and this echo is probably Shilgni, based on Tyrian rather than english. Interesting.' _she sighed. Shilgni had been hard enough to learn, based off of english. Now... and especially since they didn't use Shilgni all that much..._

 _After a moment, Tiffany opened her mouth to tell Fiona to tell Ayla and Mat any rules they might have. Suddenly, in minds' eye, the Tyrian-based Shilgni version appeared. She said that, instead. "_ _ **Go on, Fiona. Rules.**_ _"_

 _Fiona looked slightly confused for a split second before, apparently, the english-based Shilgni echo happened, and she understood._

 _"_ _ **Tiffany, do you have any more of those knives**_ _?" Fiona asked a minute later, after some talk with Ayla and Mat. She said that in Tyrian-based Shilgni, Tiffany noted, and looked to the echo to tell her what Fiona had said. Once she deciphered Fiona's words, she replies in Tyrian-based Shilgni, the words for that version having once again appeared in her minds' eye._

 _Meeting with the PCs_ _:_

 _"Tiffany! Fiona!" Phillipe yells, running over to them at full speed. Tiffany realized that his voice held no echo. It was just him. At least he sounded normal._

 _Three weeks ago_ _:_

 _"We're going to a family reunion, Tiffany, Fiona." Joslyn tells the sisters. "Nobody will be on until we get home and are done unpacking. We'll be gone for about three weeks, and you know how long it takes to unpack."_

 _"We'll manage, don't worry. What about Tangwen? She didn't get on today."_

 _"It's Tuesday."_

 _"Oh. Right. Will she be on while you're away?"_

 _"It may have been early spring when you left, but it's blueberry season now. She'll be way too busy to get on."_

 _"Oh. I'll miss blueberry season..."_

 _"Well, we have to log off for now."_

 _End Flashback_

"Mom, Dad, and the rest should be home by now," Tiffany remarks absently.

"Right," Fiona mutters. Tiffany starts, noticing that Fiona's voice carries a different sort of echo - instead of echoing Tyrian, it's echoing english. She frowns, before realizing that Fiona spoke in Tyrian, not english. Considering it, Tiffany realizes the two of them have sort of slipped into speaking Tyrian rather than english.

Tiffany deliberately thinks of the words she wants to say in Shilgni, in the english-based version, and she _knows_ the words for the Tyrian variant. " **I miss them.** "

" **So do I,** " Fiona replies after a moment.

* * *

Phillipe is thinking.

 _Flashback_ _:_

 _"Dad!" Tiffany shrieked, running over to him. She hugged him tightly, but it wasn't right... "You didn't get pulled in, did you?" she asked, looking at him. "It doesn't feel right to hug you when you're not you." Her voice had an odd echo. '_ It's probably some ability they got, being pulled into a video game, _' Phillipe thinks. '_ It's probably something like Shilgni. Well. I won't interfere.'

 _Later_ _:_

 _"So, how's Earth?" Tiffany asked him. Her voice carried the barest hint of an echo. Phillipe ignored it._

 _Later_ _:_

 _"We'll manage, don't worry. What about Tangwen? She didn't get on today." A couple words were unknown to Phillipe - garbled nonsense, as if heard through a radio on the wrong frequency. He frowned in confusion, before realizing that it didn't matter much - he knew her well enough to know which words would have gone in the gap._

 _He carefully clicked the mute button for his end of TeamSpeak and spoke to Joslyn, next to him. "Did you hear that?"_

 _"Yeah. It was probably a malfunction with either TeamSpeak or the game. Report it, perhaps?"_

 _"I'll do that," Phillipe agreed. /report [enter] brings up the 'Report a Bug' window, where he typed his problem in. "I probably won't get a reply until later," he told Joslyn, but was surprised when it was answered a minute later - personalized._

 _"I don't know anything about people being 'pulled into Tyria' - I'm afraid I can't help you. The 'bug' you reported is probably due to the fact that this being 'pulled in' isn't in the coding anywhere in the game's structure. If Tyria does exist somewhere - which would be awesomely cool, I will admit - and if your daughters did get pulled in - something I'd like to research, if possible - then the common use of 'magitech' - technology and magic mixed - within Tyria is probably the only reason why you can communicate with them. Perhaps the frequency is off a little bit, and therefore the garbled bits you are hearing. We don't know of anybody within Tyria come from Earth - if we did, we'd have dozens of them, learning how Tyria works - and so we can't fix the frequency. It might not even be the frequency. So, in conclusion, I'm sorry, but ArenaNet cannot help you."_

 _Phillipe read the reply to Joslyn._

 _"We'll just have to deal with it, I suppose," Joslyn replied. "Let's hope it doesn't get worse._

 _End Flashback_

"Let's hope it doesn't," he mumbles to himself.

"What?" Joslyn asks.

"That odd thing that happened last time we were on. When I reported a bug, and they couldn't help? You said, 'let's hope it doesn't get worse'. I hope it doesn't."

* * *

Tiffany grabs Fiona. "Tent," she hisses. "And see the design? I didn't know what the design was, before, but I do now - that's the Whispers symbol! Let's _not_ approach him."

"Why not?"

"It's probably a sign. Whispers members will probably say a password when speaking to him - or that asura over there. If we don't say it, he might warn the Order."

"I see," Fiona says, nodding. "We stealth past the asura guy? He was the hero point person, right?"

"Right. We can't stealth - when I approached him in the game, he said he could sense the currents within me, that I wasn't a messenger. I don't want to risk stealth against that."

"What'll we do?"

"Beorn. He can distract the guy while you slip past. Leave a portal here, and one in there, and I'll join you. My stealth is too short-lived to work."

"Gotcha," Fiona replies, placing the first portal (that leads nowhere right now).

Beorn runs over to the asura, who draws his weapons and engages him.

"Go!" Tiffany whispers.

Fiona stealths and runs.

Straining her eyes, Tiffany sees her unstealth farther in the cave. Then, the portal at her feet begins glowing, signifying it is ready for use. Tiffany steps into the portal and appears near Fiona.

Ensuring the asura wouldn't see them, Tiffany tells Beorn mentally to stealth. Gwaihir alights on a rock near her. When she can tell the Beorn is out of sight of the asura - an agent of the Order, she remembers now - she stealths Gwaihir and Beorn appears.

"Alright. The entrance to the Whispers base is in here somewhere," Tiffany tells Fiona. "Let's go."

* * *

 _Author's Notes:_

I am so, so sorry for the long delay!

Eden received a head injury and had to be taken to the ER for stitches. She's alright now, but it took a lot out of my writing time, so I got this out late.

I finished 'Victory or Death' on my second character, the other day. And I looked up the song played at the end - Fear Not This Night. You. Need. To. Hear. It. Period. It's so beautiful - more so than anything I've heard before. And it's also sad, knowing what we know about sylvari now. Because that's the song the Pale Tree sings to her children - 'nightmares comes when shadows grow... you can still be strong' I can't carry that tune without the music to guide me.

Tell me in the reviews what you think of the song! It's _amazing_. (But it's alright if you don't like it.)

And don't forget to tell me your ideas about how to kill Zhaitan properly, with the concerns listed in the A/N at the top of the chapter.


	7. Chapter 7: Mat & Ayla's Field Trip (P 1)

SOLDIERS, SCHOLARS, AND SPIES

* * *

Summary: After realizing they can't continue into the Chantry of Secrets today, Tiffany and Fiona decide to visit Mat and Ayla, having not done so recently. Mat and Ayla have a newfound interest in sylvari, having met one in passing on the streets of Divinity's Reach, and ask Tiffany and Fiona to take them to the Grove. Tiffany says there is not enough time, but that they can see Lion's Arch, which is on the way, and go to the Grove tomorrow.

* * *

Chapter seven: Mat and Ayla's Field Trip (Part 1)

* * *

 _Author's Notes:_

I've been very horrible at updating recently, but I have a reason. Number one: I can't sleep within two hours of being on a computer, so I have to get off early, which means less writing time. Number two: I've picked up a job as a teacher, so I have _very_ little time to write. But, I'm sure you all understand that sort of thing. I _do_ write in all my spare time (minus the two hours actually _playing_... can't go without my dailies, now can I?) Which... isn't really very much.

So, I'm sorry, but I won't be updating a chapter a day like I did back in the beginning.

I firmly believe that this chapter will be split into two parts. Yeah, the chapter name I _had_ picked out for this chapter has very little application, now. I spent way too much time on the mundane things - but then, that's how I am. Plus, we needed some quality Mat and Ayla time.

Both chapters - this and the next - _will_ be up by Monday (6/8/2018). If not, I gave Fiona and Falcon permission to hit me on the head and tell me to get on with it. _Edit:_ That was when I thought I'd have Sunday free... unexpected things happen, though. And I didn't write a thing on Sunday, though if I had...

 _ **Okay, here's the story now:**_

* * *

At the back of the cave is a small pond. Tiffany frowns at it.

"In the game, there was a portal here - like the type used to get between zones - but obviously there's none of that here. Where do you think the entrance is?"

"Well, in my experience, ArenaNet likes making passageways. There's caves _all_ over the place, the landscape is very detailed and complex - "

"I _still_ don't know how the developers managed doing Tangled Depths," Tiffany interrupts.

Fiona glares at her briefly. "In any case, I think there'll be a hidden passageway somewhere in this cave."

"Well, it isn't EverQuest," Tiffany says after a brief, cursory glance at the walls of the cavern. "It's not like there'll be a doorway that looks like a wall on one side and nothing on the other."

"Ahem," Fiona says, tapping her staff on the floor. "I'll thank you not to forget my area of expertise. You can't see them, but I just summoned an army of clones. I, on the other hand, _can_ see them."

"Hmm. Does your magic include the dispelling kind?"

"What, like _Finite Incantatum_? No. But I can have a bunch of clones run into the walls and test."

"Good enough." Tiffany nods, turning back to Fiona, who is standing by the little pond. While Fiona's clones are testing the walls, she thinks.

"You know," said Tiffany presently. "We should make sure we haven't got the slightest hint on us that we could possibly be from another Order. Mail from Sieran or Forgal, for example. Or anything that depicts us as Vigil or Priory."

"What'll we do with it?"

"Hmmph. Leave it here, under illusion?"

"For an advanced mesmer - such as someone _not_ myself - illusions _are_ detectable," Fiona admits. "And I'm quite sure that the Order will have some like that. I'm sure they check their agents quite thoroughly."

"So how'll we do this, then?"

"The Order isn't what the Vigil thinks of them - honorless backstabbing cowards. That was before the Pact, by the way. Barely. Anyway, they aren't. They are smart enough to know that pure force and/or pure historical knowledge will get them nowhere - so they have some force - they _do_ know how to fight - and they have _current political knowledge_ , in - I think it was Ihan's - terms. And they make gadgets and things. There's a rank called 'creator' which make those. Which means it's a big deal. Anyway, my point that I'm trying to make is, we can't tell them we're from the Vigil or Priory, or they'll think _we_ are honorless backstabbing cowards. And so that only tells us what _not_ to do, not what we _should_ do."

"Right." Fiona nods. "There's no hidden passageways in the walls."

"That means it must be - " Tiffany frowns for a moment, before spinning around and peering at the place where the portal _would_ have been, were it a game still. "Aha! It's in the water. See?"

"Ohh. But that still doesn't solve what we'll do about our Vigil/Priory stuff."

"I've got this rank symbol - says I'm a Recruit - from the Vigil, along with the letter Forgal sent me from when I first joined."

"I've got Sieran's letter, but no rank thing. It's the Priory, I suppose they don't need that - at least, not 'till higher up the rank ladder."

"Anything we have would be incriminating." Tiffany nods. "If we're willing to take the time, we could leave the stuff at home, and come back through a waypoint that's farther off."

Fiona shakes her head. "By that time, it'd be too late to bother coming back, anyway."

"Think we should go home and save it for tomorrow?"

"Yeah. We haven't spent an afternoon with Mat and Ayla in a while, or maybe we could go explore the Shiverpeaks a bit? You know you've got to go there for your quaggan thing. I haven't the slightest clue where the skritt are likely to be, but Sieran won't mind taking me there."

"On the other hand, if I keep needing to be told where everything is and how to get there..." Tiffany grimaces. "Especially since _I_ know - even if Forgal doesn't - that I _should_ know where these places are, I've had tons of warning. Several months' worth, in fact. It's just... humiliating. Inside my own head, anyway."

"Right. Anyway, let's drop our stuff at home and take Mat and Ayla on an adventure."

"Where to?"

"Nowhere out in Gendarran Fields or Harathi Hinterlands, that's for sure," Fiona says emphatically. "They need to _not_ see the war going on out there."

"We could always go _help_ the Seraph out there," Tiffany points out.

"We can do that any old time," Fiona says. "Mat and Ayla are probably going to start feeling a bit... neglected. Left out."

"Yeah, you're right. We can't just leave our friends alone for ages while we play the _Daes De'mar_ , the Great Game. And I'm entirely sure I pronounced that wrong, but hey. I _think_ it's the Old Tongue. What was the echo?"

"Well, it certainly wasn't 'the Great Game'. And you have to tell me what that is."

"It's a Wheel of Time thing. It's all the political stuff - you know, staying in favor and allied with that family, and getting what you want from that one, and not starting a feud, and crawling to the top of the ladder, so that you command a lot of respect and no one dares disobey you, and you can get whoever you don't like killed and - "

"Err..."

"We're not doing all that, not on that scale, anyways. We're just... kind of manipulating history. If _that_ isn't _Daes De'mar_ , I don't know what is. Aside from what I just described, of course." Tiffany says hastily. " _I_ certainly don't care about all of that stuff. It just feels cooler - and more accurate - to say we're playing _Daes De'mar_ instead of 'doing politic stuff'. And yes, I know I'm still pronouncing it wrongly. But I don't have the books on me, and so I - "

"Well, you could just call it 'the Great Game' like you did before," Fiona says blandly.

"But it's cooler. And it's an ancient language that nobody knows except the Aes Sedai and Mat, subconsciously."

"Ooh, 'Aes Sedai' has the weirdest echo," Fiona observes. "And how the heck does Mat know this Old Tongue subconscously?"

"He's a descended of somebody or other from Manetheren. You're right. It's all... tingly and powerful. Even though I haven't the slightest clue how to pronounce it." Tiffany replies.

"Manetheren? Is this some place in the old obscure lore?"

"It's lore, but not old and obscure. It's in the first couple chapters."

"Mat - oh, Tiffany! Mat isn't in the Wheel of Time!"

Tiffany looks at Fiona oddly, before bursting out laughing. "A different Mat, Fi, a different Mat! Not Mat Sartini, Mat... uhh... somebody. Some last name I don't remember."

"Anyway - why are we talking about this?" Fiona interrupts. "It's getting us nowhere, and we need to spend some time with Mat and Ayla."

"Right. Let's go. And don't forget to leave an anchor so you can portal back without us having to sneak past the asura at the mouth of the cave."

"And straight south from the Lion's Arch entrance. Hehe. More literal description than we thought, eh, Tiff?"

"Shoulda thought of that," Tiffany says ruefully. "That's how it always comes out."

"Right," Fiona nods sharply. A moment later the two pop out of the cave with a flurry of blue dust-like specks.

* * *

Appearing at Shaemoor waypoint, Tiffany and Fiona go to the Sartini's house (Sartini, if you remember, is the last name of Mat and Ayla).

"Ayla! Mat!" Fiona calls. "We've got the afternoon free!"

"Whatever!" Mat calls back after a moment.

Tiffany and Fiona look at each other with twin looks of pretend shock and disbelief.

Suddenly, Tiffany gets a mischievous look in her eye. " **Fiona. Twins.** " she says in the Tyrian variant of Shilgni. Then she laughs under her breath - it would have been more of a cackle, but she did it quietly.

Fiona's eyes widen for a moment in question, before she adopts the same mischeivous look. " **Tiffona and Fioffany**."

" **We're not identical.** "

" **Hmmph. That'll be fixed. A mix between you and me... hmm. Think that looks right?** "

" **Sure. Let's go.** "

Fiona had cast an illusion that makes Tiffany look like a mix between her and Fiona, and Fiona look like the exact same thing. Nobody can tell them apart.

" **Wait. What about the talking?** " Tiffany asks.

" **I've been playing with voice altering enchantments,** " Fiona says with a smirk. " **One of us will say something, and it'll sound like it came from both of us, alternating who every three or four words.** "

" **Brilliant. Wait, you think that's how -** " Tiffany stops. " **They charmed it? Now, that's just cheating!** "

" **Naw, they're brilliant.** " Fiona tells Tiffany. " **Inventing all that stuff?** _ **We're**_ **cheating.** "

" **Anyway, let's go.** " Tiffany hollers up the staircase, "You don't get to say whatever to Fioffany!"

"Or Tiffona!" Fiona shouts.

"What's a Fiffany?" Ayla asks, poking her head down the staircase.

"It's half Tiffany - " Fiona says,

"Half Fiona!" Tiffany chimes in. "Same goes for - "

"Fioffany!" Fiona interrupts.

Ayla looks back and forth between the two illusioned young women, both smirking back at her. She turns and disappears back up the staircase.

"Mat! Those two have - " she says, before her voice gets too quiet for the two to hear.

" **Both of us have to act weird** ," Fiona tells Tiffany.

Tiffany snorts. " **I won't even have to try**."

" **Try to act normal, then.** " Fiona scolds.

" **I can't. That's too weird for me.** " Tiffany says. Then, " **Fine.** "

Mat and Ayla come down the staircase. Mat shakes his head in wonder. "You even altered your height, Fiona." he says.

"It's not Fiona," Tiffany says.

"It's Tiffona!" Fiona chimes in.

"Or Fioffany, whichever - "

" - you prefer."

Mat and Ayla look at each other in bewilderment. Tiffany can't stop the huge smirk that appears on her face. ' _So_ that's _why Fred and George always had that grin on,_ ' she thinks. ' _I just hope they weren't using charms to do it... that would_ ruin _it...'_

"So, which of you is Tiffany and which is Fiona?" Ayla asks shrewdly.

"Neither is."

"Tiffany and Fiona, stop that right now!" Petra hollers from the kitchen.

"I thought you were - " Fiona says,

"At the tavern?"

"I came here to tell Katherine about the troubles you've put me and Deborah through," she hollers back. "If you're terrorizing people with your illusions again, don't forget my threat."

The girls eyes widen, before Fiona quickly undoes the illusions.

"I wasn't!" Tiffany hollers back. Fiona subtly alters Tiffany's voice so it sounds like her Fiona saying it - so it's true. Tiffany _wasn't_ using illusions, but Petra thinks Fiona said it. Tiffany realizes what Fiona did and smirks at her.

"So, want to go play?" Fiona asks.

"Nuh-uh," Mat says, shaking his finger at them in mock solemnity. "We need to discuss something first. Since when couldn't I say 'whatever'?"

"We said that you couldn't say 'whatever' to Tiffona and Fioffany," Tiffany says. "We're not Tiffona and Fioffany, and good luck guessing who's who - er - " here, she glances in the direction of the kitchen. " - never. Anyway, let's go play. Or explore."

"I want to visit the sylvari," Ayla says. "I saw one the other day, and he told me all about how pretty the Grove - which is their city, like Divinity's Reach - is. It's made out of foliage." she says importantly.

Tiffany's eyes widen in shock. ' _The Grove?'_ she thinks.

"Ooh, 'foliage' sounds like a big word," Fiona tells Ayla. "Do you know what it means?"

"No, he didn't tell me. I didn't have time to ask, because Mat asked something else, and then he had to go."

"Oh, I see. Well, foliage is all sorts of things - in general it means plantlife, like leaves and vines and bushes and things."

"So, the Grove is made out of those things?"

"Yes. I've only seen... pictures of it, but it's very beautiful." Fiona says, nodding.

"So can we go?" Mat asks.

"Well, it's about three hours until nighttime. We can go part of the way there, exploring."

"How can we get that far?"

"Asura gates," Fiona replies. "One in Divinity's Reach leads to Lion's Arch, and one in Lion's Arch leads to the Grove. But you've never been to Lion's Arch, and we can't have your first time there be for five seconds, now can we?"

"I suppose."

"But don't worry, there's sylvari in Lion's Arch too. There's all sorts of races in Lion's Arch - charr, norn, asura, quaggans, hylek... and they've all built something beautiful."

"Don't the humans and the charr get in lots of fights?"

"Not in Lion's Arch. In Lion's Arch, all the races live happily alongside each other." Fiona explains.

"Not even little arguments?"

"Well, I've seen some of them get in arguments over who is better - Logan Thackeray or Rytlock Brimstone." Tiffany informs them.

"Rytlock got all angry at Logan over nothing," Ayla put in with a frown.

"That's the point." Tiffany says. "The charr all think that Logan 'ran away' on purpose so he didn't have to fight an Elder Dragon. They think he's a coward. But they don't think about how he went to save Queen Jennah. If you look at it from their perspective, it's not nearly as bad as it seems. _I_ think they're both being stubborn fools and not talking it over with each other."

"Really?" Mat asks.

"Yep. Now, last time I saw them, Logan was trying to get Rytlock to talk about it, but Rytlock didn't want to, and kept insulting Logan. So, I think Rytlock's more of a stubborn fool than Logan is, but it doesn't make him bad, either. So, you want to go to Lion's Arch?"

"Yes!" the two chorus. "Lion's Arch sounds cool. And we can see some of the sylvari."

"Sylvari are people too, you know. It's... they're not..." Tiffany sighs in frustration.

"They're not just things to see," Fiona interjects. Tiffany nods at Fiona gratefully.

"Ohh," Ayla says, nodding. "I see. Now, can we go? Please?" she tugs on Fiona's arm.

"Let me ask your mom and dad, first," Fiona says, laughing and pulling away.

She returns a moment later. "They say yes, as long as you're home by dinner time, and as long as we don't go anywhere else. And me and Tiffany need to keep a close watch on you, and I need to make some illusions so it looks like there's a couple more adults with us."

"Let's go!"

"Alright, all right. Go to Palace Waypoint, okay?"

"'Kay!" the four popped out of the room.

* * *

"Alright, we need to find an asura gate. Do you know what those look like?"

"No."

"They're big stone circles that you can walk through, filled with a purple glow, and maybe kind of swirly. There's generally asura by them.

"Oh! I've seen one of those around here," Mat says, and takes off.

The other three chase after him, until they catch up to Mat. He'd just come around a curve of the winding stone walkway.

"You found it! Good for you, Mat."

"I suppose you want to use the gate?" an asura standing near the gate asks boredly.

"Yes, please," Tiffany replies warily. ' _What's this?_ ' she wonders.

"Well, come on now, hand over the fee. One silver per person." seeing Fiona open her mouth, he snaps, "No exceptions."

Tiffany looks at Fiona with a raised eyebrow for a moment, before shruging and pulling out four silver. ' _Four silver! Really!_ ' she thinks. After she hands the amount to asura, he waves towards the gate.

"Well, go on. I haven't got all day."

The four step through the gate. Tiffany's breath catches in her throat - that was _so cool_. Whenever she'd used the asura gates in the game - which wasn't too often - there'd always been a loading screen before the zone had loaded. But the asura gates live up to their name, (both parts) and they had been brough to Lion's Arch instantaneously. ' _Well, I suppose there could hardly have been a_ loading screen _here, what with it being real life now, and all. But still._ ' she reasons. She opens her mouth for a moment to tell Mat and Ayla how this is _old_ Lion's Arch - before catching herself, remembering there is no such thing as new Lion's Arch yet.

As Mat and Ayla look around at their surroundings in wonder - " _five_ asura gates!" Ayla says in wonder - Tiffany mutters to Fiona, "we need to talk, later." Fiona nods.

"So, what do you want to see first?" Tiffany asks. "We can go to the Trader's Forum, or Fort Marriner - which is really cool - or we can go see Claw Island, or - "

"What's Trader's Forum?" Mat asks.

"It's where all the merchants are," Tiffany explains. "And the bank, and the Black Lion Trading Company, and others like it."

"And what's Fort Marriner?"

"It's where the Vigil train for battle. I can't explain it." Tiffany tells him. "Claw Island is the city's foremost defense against any enemy ships. Including Zhaitan's. We'll need to visit there sometime this afternoon," she says, with a quick glance at Fiona.

"So, where to first?" Fiona asks.

"Let's go to Fort Marriner," Mat says eagerly.

' _Oh, dear..._ ' Tiffany thinks. ' _He'll probably join the Vigil when he grows up. Sorry, I meant the Pact._ ' she stifles a tiny snort at the thought. "Well, come on then."

"Do you know the way?" Ayla asks.

"Yep. Over this bridge, and now this - this is where a bunch of assassins tried to kill Destiny's Edge." Tiffany tells them. "They didn't succeed, of course, but they still tried."

"What's over that bridge?" Mat questions.

"Fort Marriner," Tiffany replies promptly. "Let's go!"

"Can we run on the bridge?"

"Eh..heh... let's _not_ ," Tiffany replies with a grimace. "It's open water below that bridge, you know. Can you swim?"

"Nnno," Ayla replies slowly.

"If you fell, you'd probably drown before we could get to you. And there's no railings on that bridge."

"And your mother would kill us if something happened to you," Fiona says.

"Yes, I certainly would," Katherine says from behind the group.

Tiffany jumps in surprise, and Mat and Ayla spin around. Tiffany shakes her head. "Fiona..."

"What? They said to make it look like there were more people here - who better than their parents?"

"Fiona," Ayla says, turning around again, with her hands on her hips. "What did you do that for?"

"You look so cute when you do that," Fiona tells her.

Ayla growls at Fiona good-naturedly.

"Well, come on! Let's go!" Mat says excitedly.

Fiona rolls her eyes. "I'll watch this one," Fiona says, taking Mat's hand. "You take Ayla. And we can split up if we like. Mat, do you want to go to Fort Marriner?"

"Sure. The other place sounds boring."

"I don't want to, can we go to the other place?" Ayla asks.

"What, Trader's Forum?" Tiffany queries.

"Yeah."

Tiffany nods and leads the way north into Lion's Arch.

"The buildings are pretty," Tiffany says, a split second before realizing that this is old Lion's Arch. She'd been about to tell Ayla about the buildings shaped like different sea animals - octupus and stingray, at the very least. But the damage had been done, and she couldn't remember a bit about the buildings in old Lion's Arch.

"Are they?" Ayla asks curiously. "What are they like?"

"I... think I'll let you figure that out," Tiffany replies, grasping for an answer. ' _I've been here before, I'll probably remember something interesting when I see them. How to explain...?_ '

"Let's go see them, then." Ayla says. "They might be nice."

"Yeah. It's.. it's been a bit since I was here. And the merchants change, and decorate the buildings differently," Tiffany says, coming upon a suitable explanation. "The one I saw before might not be the same."

"What was it like?" Ayla asks curously.

Tiffany mentally facepalms. "I... don't remember much of it," she says slowly. "I just remember it was pretty. It was... it was decorated with octopus...es... "

Ayla giggles. "That's a funny word. 'Octopuses'."

"I know it is," Tiffany manages a rueful grin. ' _It's octopi, but my ever-present quick thinking and memory vanished... I need to not panic, next time.'_

"Of course, I think people like... octopuses... around here, so there might be other places decorated with them," Tiffany says. ' _I should be safe now...Dear me, Tiff, it's only Ayla! She'l completely forget, or think I was joking, even if some of it spills... heh. I'm as bad as Fiona with this._ '

* * *

"This is so cool," Mat says as he and Fiona enter Fort Marriner.

Fiona is a bit nervous, as she hasn't been here before. ' _Why did we have to switch roles? I know more about Trader's Forum than I do about this place... (which is very little either way), but then, Tiffany probably knows more. She_ likes _exploring the cities!_ ' Fiona, when Tyria had existed only as a game, had preferred adventuring around and exploring and fighting things. Tiffany, too, but she'd also done her fair share of city exploration. Fiona had thought she was nuts, but now, she decides it's for the better. "Yes, it's quite interesting," she replies absentmindedly.

To the sides, lines of Vigil marksmen are firing at targets. Mat watches them avidly, but it loses its charm after a few minutes.

Fiona keeps an eye on Tiffany and Fiona through one of her clones. Being a mesmer is hard - although it's much easier if she can _believe_ in her own illusions. Believing that something can be true that isn't - when you _know_ it isn't - is very hard, especially for new mesmers (because they'd never done it before), but once mastered, is the easiest way to do illusions, and makes them much mroe detailed, as well. The other method of creating an illusion is to imagine it in her minds' eye, and will it into existence with her magic. Illusions created that way often lack detail, or flicker when the mesmer controlling them loses focus. Until Fiona had learned that, her illusions had come very costly to her mental fortitude - hence her meditation sessions each morning when she hadn't enough sleep the night before. She would tell herself she could do it, it was real now, and make a few smaller illusions.

But now she had figured out the belief system - simply _assume_ an illusion will be there when you want it to be - such things were much easier. It was also more realistic - it was how the stuff she conjured was solid, rather than a simple bending of light to make it _look_ like something was there. She supposes that is what makes a good mesmer - believing something will make it true, if you put magic into that belief. It won't be true, _per se_ , but it will seem so. ' _Dangerous. At least mesmers can see through their own illusions at will, or some could get lost in a fabricated reality. I'm sure there are horror stories out there of mesmers who went mad because of that. And I don't want to hear them._ '

The fun part about her clones and illusions, is that she can _be_ them, at least partially. At least the ones she conjures with her imagination. So she listens to Tiffany and Ayla's conversation, and wonders if she should intervene. She decides, (not being able to see Tiffany's face, being behind her, and half not paying attention) that Tiffany is doing fine.

"Is there anything else to do?" Mat asks.

"Here?" Fiona replies. "I don't know, Tiffany knows more about that than I do... just a moment..."

* * *

"Tiffany?" Fiona speaks up from behind the two.

"Oh, I didn't realize you were there. Where's Mat?"

"With me. This is really hard - this is an imagination-generated illusion, it's hard to talk like this - but Mat wants to know what else there is to see in Fort Marriner besides looking at the marksmen training."

"Oh, I don't know. I don't know that much about the place - there's a wide open space that's supposed to be - er - something, and beyond that is where I first met General Almorra, but there's probably more to the fort than that. Feel free to explore. To the left..." here Tiffany stops and frowns. Her forehead creases in concentration. "That makes no sense," she whispers to herself. "No sense at all. I specifically remember..." *

"What is it?" Ayla asks.

"Just... something weird. Just explore, Fiona. And don't go to Bloodtide Coast, of course."

"What's Bloodtide Coast?" Ayla asks. Tiffany curses herself. ' _Tiffany, you imbecile! Shut your mouth and think before you speak!_ '

"It's... it's a codename," Tiffany says after a moment. "It's the area just south of Lion's Arch." ' _Codename... that's the best explanation_ ever _... I'll have to use that more._ '

"Ohh, that sounds nice."

"Please... don't tell anyone. It's a codename." Tiffany repeats anxiously.

"Oh, of course not," Ayla replies. "Why did you choose that name?"

"Well, when Zhaitan woke up, years and years ago, it flooded Lion's Arch with water. Now, that water couldn't _get here_ without going that area, so Bloodtide Coast was even more flooded. Now, it's all islands with water all around. It's not _deep_ water, per se, but still. And the Risen are all over that area, killing people and stuff. So we called it Bloodtide Coast - because the tide hasn't gone out yet, and it's all bloody from the Risen killing people, and it's on the coast."

Fiona's clone raises an eyebrow, before nodding in a way that tells Tiffany 'that's a good idea! How did you think of that?'

"Ooh, I see. Now, can we go to where Fiona and Mat are? I'm not interested in this place."

"Sure." Tiffany agrees easily.

"I'll tell Mat you're coming. Perhaps your memory will fix up once you get here," Fiona says, before falling silent.

* * *

"Tiffany and Fiona are coming, Mat. Want to wait for them here?"

"Sure. How did you do that? You just stood there silently for a minute."

"I was communicating through my illusion that's with Tiffany. I can't do that if I can't concentrate, and I'm very vulnerable. If somebody had hurt this body while I was doing that, I would be hurt. I can't shift permanently to any illusions or clones, meaning I have to be careful when I do it that I don't get hurt."

"So if I ever see you do that, I have to protect you?"

"That'd be nice. However, I doubt I'd do it if there was any chance of me being hurt."

"What happens if something hurts the clone?"

"If I tuned into the clone's physical feelings, I would feel the hurt, but it wouldn't hurt my health when I came back to this body. Tiffany's here."

"Heya, Fiona," Tiffany says, as the clone of Fiona vanishes and Richard and Katherine pop up. "That was a cool comunication thingy you had."

"I can't do it all the time, because I can't control where the illusions pop up - just around me, somewhere or other. It only worked because there was already an illusion there."

"Still it's nice. Now, let me get an eyeful of this fort," Tiffany tells them. "I... I must remember something wrongly."

She goes to the middle of the fort. On her left is an arch that opens onto a sandy beach, and on her right is another arch that leads to a pathway down a hill. Turning her back to the first opening, she closes her eye for a moment, remembering... before turning and going through.

She frowns heavily at the sight before her - a beach that continues all the way up to her feet from the shore, with a few palm trees. Closing her eyes again, she tries to picture a map of Lion's Arch in her mind, centered around Fort Marriner. "But that makes no _sense_ ," she murmers to herself. ' _We were defending Lion's Arch from assault from Claw Island after it was taken... this is on the other side of Fort Marriner from Claw Island!_ '

Spinning around, she crosses to the other side of the fort, and looks through that arch. A simple path runs down a hill and curves out of sight behind another hill. Going down, she follows the path down around the hill. It only curves slightly, and goes over a bridge westward. But around the hill...Tiffany frowns some more. ' _This is where the leaders of the Orders agreed to the Pact, and where I proposed that Trahearne be the Marshal... we didn't defend this place from Claw Island._ '

Going over the bridge, the path continues to another bridge, which leads to a tiny peninsula, looking westward. She can barely make out Claw Island in the distance. She turns and goes around the hill she'd thought the path had led at first. There is a ship tied near the dock. Around the island, Tiffany can see one of the walls of Fort Marriner, and further on, the bridge that she had taken to get to the Fort before.

She returns to the beach, and looks over it, frowning deeply. ' _This is definitely the place where we rebuffed the Risen from Claw Island, but... this on the other side of Fort Marriner from Claw Island!_ ' She shakes her head and sighs.

She goes back to the bridge that connects Fort Marriner to the rest of Lion's Arch. Frowning over the water, she looks left and right. ' _Maybe Zhaitan was trying to cut off the Vigil from the rest of Lion's Arch - from aid in case of attack? Or maybe he was just dropping Risen off all along the shores all over this harbor. In which case the Vigil wouldn't have_ just _defended their own fort... General Almorra probably sent more Vigil troops out to deal with them. But in either case, the Risen did come here... well, now I've got the layout of the area._ '

She turns and goes back to where Fiona, Mat, Ayla, and the illusions of the children's parents are.

"You figured it out?" Fiona asks.

"Yep. Just a little disconcerting and... odd. It's alright now." Tiffany tells her. "Do you two want to see more of Fort Marriner?" she asks, addressing the children.

"Not really," Ayla says timidly. "There's too much fighting."

"Okay. What about you, Mat?"

"It's boring," Mat says. "They're just doing the same thing over and over."

"They're drilling. They're doing it over and over the same way, so when a battle comes they can do it right, rather than panicking and doing it all wrong."

"Can we go somewhere else, now?" Ayla asks again.

"Want to go to Claw Island?"

"What's it like?"

"It's a fortress, kind of like this one. It's meant to defend Lion's Arch from Risen. There's no people fighting, there. Unless the Risen are trying to attack, but that shouldn't - that shouldn't be an issue. And they wouldn't let us come to Claw Island if they were being attacked, I'm sure."

"I don't feel like going." Ayla says. "Can we go to the Grove now?"

"It's a bit late for that," Tiffany says, looking at the sun, which is low on the horizon. "Your mother wanted you home for dinner, anyway, and it should be near then, soon. How about tomorrow?"

"Okay," Ayla says. "I'm a bit tired, anyway."

"Oh," Tiffany says. "You know, I've been told that seeing the sights in a city is very tiring. Come on, let's go home.

On the way back to the asura gates, Fiona comments, "You looked kind of odd, going back and forth a few times between each archway."

"I probably did," Tiffany agrees ruefully.

"And the way you acted was kind of odd, as a whole."

Tiffany raises an eyebrow. "How so?"

"Well, you stood there kind of muttering to yourself a bit by the far archway, with your hands on your hips, and you just were kind of acting like you didn't care who saw you acting up. And when you were walking across, you had this odd determined expression on your face, and you walked with a straight back - at least, straighter than normal."

"Hmmph." Tiffany got a thoughtful expression, before half-glancing at Mat and Ayla. "I didn't realize," she says truthfully. "I guess I might have been acting odd. But you know me. My memory seemed off the hook," her expression darkens for a moment, and she says vehemently, "and I do _**not**_ like strange things happening in my mind."

Fiona grimaces. "I know."

After dropping Mat and Ayla off at home, the two women return to Fort Marriner.

* * *

 _Author's Notes:_

I promise, this will be continued in the next chapter... sooner rather than later! But I have to keep my promise of updating on Monday to Falcon.

The next chapter follows on this directly, as it was originally intended to be all one chapter.


	8. Chapter 8: The First Surprises

SOLDIERS, SCHOLARS, AND SPIES

* * *

Summary: Tiffany and Fiona visit Claw Island, where the first surprise awaits. The next day, they go (finally) to the Chantry of Secrets, where more surprises and uncertainties await. What those are is for me to write and you to read. If you don't die of shock first, of course.

* * *

Chapter eight: The First Surprises

* * *

 _Author's Notes:_

So, this was _going_ to be part 2 of ' _The First Surprises_ ', but part 1 really doesn't have anything to do with part 2 very much.

Instead, _Mat and Ayla's Field Trip_ is broken into two chapters, with this chapter in the middle.

Also, fully half of the surprises are Mat and Ayla's fault. They gave me the idea, and they're the ones who dragged Tiffany and Fiona out to fulfill them. Of course, they weren't there for most of them, but it's their hand in it. It happened in the last chapter - can you spot it? (You won't be able to until after you've read this chapter.) (And then I went and had Tiffany and Fiona discuss it, so nevermind.)

This is going to be a long chapter. I've been wondering when I'll top chapter 10 (my high score for WPC (words per chapter)) and chapters 21-23 would have topped it, but that would have been wayy too long for one chapter.

I altered one of Tiffany's lines near the middle of the chapter. Instead of telling [edited spoiler] 'good bye' she says 'we already have plans to visit there tomorrow'.

 _ **Okay, here's the story now:**_

* * *

 _From last chapter:_

 _After dropping Mat and Ayla off at home, the two women return to Fort Marriner._

"I think the ship that would take us to Claw Island is this way," Tiffany says, going through the right-hand archway and onto the path beyond.

"You had a mini exploration trip earlier," Fiona says. "I know zero about Lion's Arch."

"Follow me," Tiffany agrees.

When they get to the dock, the ship is just about ready to go. ' _I suppose it's on a timed schedule, when there's any passengers,_ ' Tiffany tells herself, looking at the one other small group on the little ship.

They pay the passage fee and board the boat, looking around curiously.

"We will have to bring Mat and Ayla, sometime," Tiffany tells Fiona. "Just for the excitement of being on a ship."

Fiona nods.

As they approach the island, Tiffany's thoughts turn to the battle that will take place later - if, of course, history progresses as it did in the game. ' _Of course, nobody will die this time. I made the most convincing argument to myself, once, how it could have happened that Forgal wouldn't have died - mostly, the way of convincing Watch Commander - Talon, was it? - to listen to us. Perhaps meeting him now will help that - if I know him a bit before the battle, he might listen better. Of course, he could always still not listen, but that's why we'll have at least one of Fiona's clones ready to activate the signal tower - the last half of the battle was spent doing that._ '

The ship docks at Claw Island, and Tiffany and Fiona disembark.

' _This place brings back memories. It's been months since I was here. And then it was just a game.'_ As the Tiffany and Fiona go up the walkway to where the fort that makes Claw Island so formidable stands, Tiffany looks around with a small smile on her face. ' _Visiting here was a spur-of-the-moment decision, but I think it'll be better in the long run. I'll... hee, I'm really sounding like Whispers now. Making connections and pulling strings behind the scenes... I've always liked sneaking around. Mostly physical sneaking - as in, dress all in black and pretend I'm an assassin - but still. Oh, there's the archway where we tried to convince Watch Commander Talon that an assault was coming._ '

"Another shipload of tourists, sir," said one of the ship's crew members to Talon.

"Ready to see the wondrous Claw Island, hey?" the Watch Commander asks them. "I'm Watch Commander Talon."

"Yes, sir. I'm Tiffany Ss - " Tiffany stops just before giving her _character's_ name - Tiffany Solestrider - instead of her own. Luckily, Fiona interrupts quickly, in the sort of fashion that makes it hard to hear what Tiffany had said.

"I'm Fiona Tassof, and this is my sister," Fiona says.

"I've heard it has withstood all of Zhaitan's attacks so far," Tiffany says, deciding to play it safe and pretend she hadn't said anything odd. ' _Really, my mouth has been running itself today,_ ' she thinks with a grimace. ' _First with Ayla, then here... let's hope it doesn't happen anymore...'_

"So far?" Talon queries, laughing. "Youngster, it'll withstand _any_ attack."

"How does it do that?" Tiffany asks in surprise. "I mean, I'm sure no fortress could withstand, say, an attack by one of Zhaitan's champions. Once he gets bored with Orr, he'll probably move for Lion's Arch next."

"Hmmph. You don't know what you're talking about."

"Maybe so," Tiffany agrees easily. "Now, this fortress that can withstand any attack - show me how?"

"Of course, of course," Talon tells her. "Just a minute while I greet the others."

Tiffany looks out over the courtyard of the fortress with a small grin. She runs her eyes over the battlements, remembering beating back the Risen. She notes Lionguard manning the defenses, occasionally coming over to report to Talon, but that is to be expected - you can hardly have an undefeatable fortress without soldiers.

"Come on, come on. Time for the tour," Talon tells them, nodding to one of the Lionguard who had just delivered a message. "This courtyard is the dying grounds for any Risen that get near it - if they bypassed the beach. See those trebuchets on the battlements? Most of them aim outwards, and are designed for sinking ships. But there's couple special engines up there for killing Risen inside this choke point. If they all fire at once, they cover the whole courtyard in a moment. And if we're really desperate, we've got machines all in those rocks back there, lining the path." Talon motions back the way the tourists had come. " _That_ is a real choke-point - not too much space back there. And pretty secret, too. Now, I'll show you the battlements."

' _It is not really secret if you tell every tourist about it,_ ' Tiffany thinks, amused.

Talon leads the way up to the rampart, and shows them how the trebuchets work.

"There's a ship at the southern dock," Tiffany notes aloud.

"Oh, yeah. Occasionally a ship'll dock there, no big deal." Talon says, breaking off mid-sentence to answer her. "Now, we need to keep these well-oiled, and even then we need to replace them every couple years. Of course, handing in reports of the Risen we've kept out every few months helps us maintain that."

Tiffany really is interested in this (thinking about the attack on Claw Island), and wonders how long it's been since the trebuchets were replaced last, and whether that had any affect on the outcome of the battle. ' _Well, it'll have been the same now to last time, I doubt me and Fiona have made too many ripples in history._ ' She still thinks of anything pre-Scarlet Briar, or perhaps pre-Mordremoth, as history. ' _Oh, and I had to use one of those during the battle... best know how not to break it._ '

"Another group of tourists?" asks an asura, approaching them.

"Yes, Deputy Brakk. The more people know the grandeur of Claw Island, the better," Talon tells him cheerfully. "I don't see Mira on the beach."

"She's greeting the passengers on that ship," Brakk replies offhandedly. "Now, if you excuse me, you'll break this trebuchet."

"I will not!"

"You've done it before," Brakk replies blandly. " _I'll_ show them the trebuchets. Look here, folks..."

Tiffany notices that Fiona doesn't seem very interested in the trebuchets. "Fi, this stuff is good to know," she mutters to her sister.

"It's boring," Fiona grumbles back.

"Talk to Talon, I'm sure he'll have something to tell you about the island's history. Good stuff, that. And interesting."

Fiona grumbles under her breath, but goes to talk to Talon.

' _I don't suppose she knows you have to use the trebuchets at some point._ '

"...easy to use, really. It's the aiming that's hard," Brakk is saying. "Giving the thing more power will send it farther, and less, not so far. But aside from that, aiming from left-to-right is also hard. Of course, if you're firing at a ship, it's easier if the ship's broad side is to you."

"Are there any other weapons up here?" Tiffany asks.

"Some, but the trebuchets are our best weapon. Of course, I've looked at that signal beam up on the lighthouse, and you could reconfigure the power panel on that for any number of excellent weapons, but the Captain's Council is determined to use it for that warning beacon."

"Wise choice," Tiffany comments. "Honestly, I'm surprised you haven't got a soldier up there at all times, in case of attack. By the time you're overrun, you'll spend forever getting there to turn it on, not to mention getting back and then to Lion's Arch. As long as you've got somebody up there, you won't have to worry about that."

"But we won't be overrun," Brakk says, waving her off.

"The Captain's Council doesn't seem so sure, insisting on that beacon," Tiffany comments, before changing the subject. "What's on the other side of the island from here? Aside from Lion's Arch, of course."

"Nothing, really," Brakk tells her. Then, he looks beyond Tiffany. "Oh, Deputy Mira. This inquisitive youngster is driving me crazy. Take her down to the beach, will you? I've got to repair this trebuchet that Talon broke - again."

' _Eh. I wasn't that interested on what's on the other side of the island, really_ ,' Tiffany shrugs to herself.

"Not again," the Deputy sighs from behind Tiffany. Tiffany turns to look at her. "Talon, can you - "

What Deputy Mira is saying is lost on Tiffany the moment she sees her. Mira had turned around to talk to the Watch Commander, meaning Tiffany is looking at her back. But that is not what freezes Tiffany.

Standing next to Mira, facing Talon, is a tallish sylvari. But Tiffany knows who it is.

' _What._ ' Tiffany thinks, her mind blank. ' _How._ ' she zones out for a moment. Luckily, no one notices her, and even more luckily, Fiona does. Fiona moves so fast she could have teleported to Tiffany's side.

" **Yes, I know** ," Fiona whispers to her. Tiffany is startled, and blinks a few times, but recollects herself. Her eyes zoom to the ship in the southern dock. ' _I should have seen this coming. I so should have seen this coming. It's a few months before the battle of Claw Island. I should have seen this coming._ '

" **I'm okay,** " Tiffany replies with a shuddering sigh. She sees the slight ripple of an illusion falling, obviously not an illusion for her eyes, but others' , as nothing changes.

"Who is this?" the sylvari turns around to see the two girls. Tiffany freezes again, her eyes going wide. Fiona hasily covers it with an illusion.

"I'm Fiona Tassof, and this is my sister, Tiffany." Fiona says, stalling for time until Tiffany regains herself.

Fiona speaking recalls Tiffany to herself, again. "Nice to meet you," she says, hoping her voice isn't wobbly. ' _What is_ _wrong_ _with me, I'm acting like a teenage girl with a crush!'_

"This is Trahearne. He comes through here every few months on his way to and from Orr."

"Nice to meet you, Trahearne," Fiona says cordially, her hand twitching. ' _Do they do handshakes in Tyria? I've never seen anyone do it._ ' After an ever-so-unbearable moment, Tiffany echoes her.

"Nice to meet you, Fiona, Tiffany." Trahearne replies. "What are you doing here?"

"Taking the tour," Fiona replies pleasantly. "And you?"

"I am on my way to the Grove from Orr."

"What do you do in Orr?" Tiffany asks. Fiona makes a decision and masks Tiffany's voice completely, letting her replies come just a moment later so that she can remove the tension and uncertainty lacing Tiffany's voice.

"It is my Wyld Hunt to cleanse the land of Orr," Trahearne replies. "I need to study the place so I can understand it enough to do that."

"Cleanse it?" Fiona asks curiously. "Is it corrupted or something?"

"It seems so," Trahearne answers gravely. "Both from Zhaitan's presence and the Cataclysm. I fear that cleansing it is a momentuous task, but it needs doing."

"It probably does," Talon interrupts. "Now, it is getting late, and Tiffany and Fiona wanted to have the tour. Do you want to come along?"

"I don't see why not. It has been a while," Trahearne agrees.

Tiffany and Fiona follow Talon as he extolls the virtues of Claw Island, but Tiffany isn't paying any attention, anymore. Her mind is whirling. She stubbornly pushes all her thoughts to the back of her mind and focuses on Talon as he goes on about the fortress. She notes which bits of history he drops - enough for her to use to convince him that Claw Island can't withstand an assault, later on - and almost sighs in relief when Brakk approaches.

"Commander Talon, it is really too late to continue any more today! You know the potential of being attacked is always more at night than during the day, and it's already late." he says it is like it is routine.

"Fine, fine," Talon grumbles. "Come back sometime!"

"We may," Tiffany says.

When the group boards the ship, so does Trahearne.

' _Well, of course. He needs to get to Lion's Arch, as well,'_ Tiffany tells herself. ' _I bet waypoints don't work as well over sea as over land, and even then they're probably distance-limited. I suppose I didn't do a great first impression... but what was I supposed to do? It's several months until Claw Island, and I was counting on knowing beforehand when I'd see him, and even then I probably would have messed up a bit! What a mercy Fiona is here... and I'm still acting a like a teenage girl with a crush!_ '

"So, what sorts of things have you discovered in Orr?" Fiona asks, trying to spark a conversation.

"Mostly Risen, probably," says one norn, who had been in Tiffany and Fiona's tour group, dourly.

"I bet there's a lot more than Risen in Orr," Tiffany says absentmindedly. "It was a great nation, once, you know."

"That it was," Trahearne agrees. "There's ruins of cities everywhere, and I'm sure they would have been quite grand before they were ruined."

"It might be nice to see those one day, if we could get past the Risen somehow," Tiffany agrees. Now that the shock of seeing Trahearne where she hadn't expected to is over, she is much more in control of herself. Fiona tentatively lowers her sound mask. Tiffany sounds much more natural without it. "How do you do it?"

"I avoid the Risen altogether, and when I can't help it, I go slowly and cautiously." Trahearne says simply. "I'm a necromancer, which carries a sort of aura. I suppose the Risen sense it, and think I'm either not a threat, or one of them."

"That sounds really cool. It probably would be really creepy to be around Risen without them attacking me, though," Tiffany says pensively.

"Have they attacked you?"

"We've spent the last few days south of Lion's Arch, battling Risen," Fiona replies. "They're really not as scary as some horror stories we've heard."

"Personally, I rarely engage in combat with the Risen. It's terrifying."

"It is," Tiffany agrees. "It's looking back on it, and remembering how scary you _thought_ they were, that makes it seem not so scary."

"Especially when you can make _them_ terrified by making a whole bunch of you," Fiona puts in. "I'm a mesmer," she adds, at the curious looks from other passengers. "We never did try making ourselves look like Risen," she tells Tiffany thoughtfully.

"It wouldn't work," Trahearne says, shaking his head. "I think Risen can sense each other, and don't go off of sight very much. It's why I could get away from them so easily."

"Good thing we didn't try it then, eh?" Tiffany asks Fiona.

"I suppose. I doubt a mesmer could replicate the aura you mentioned, Trahearne."

"Not really. I don't understand it much myself."

The group falls into silence, with Tiffany watching over the edge of the small ship at her pet shark (tamed somewhere in Bloodtide Coast) swimming alongside them.

The ship sails into Sanctum Harbor and docks near the asura gates.

"It was nice meeting you, Trahearne," Tiffany says, taking initiative this time. She, too, wonders about shaking hands, but comes to the same conclusion as Fiona - she's never seen anyone do it, either in the game or afterwards.

"Same," Fiona nods.

"You should come visit the Grove some time," Trahearne tells them. "It's a beautiful place."

"We already have plans to visit tomorrow," Tiffany agrees, before stepping through the Divinity's Reach portal with Fiona.

* * *

The instant they are on the other side, Tiffany and Fiona waypoint home, before sneaking up to their room and shutting the door. Fiona places wards near the door to tell her when somebody approaches.

The two fall into silence, looking at each other.

"Well," Tiffany says at last. " _That_ was unexpected, unprecedented, shocking, faint-worthy, and terrifyingly exciting."

"A very good thing you _didn't_ faint," Fiona observes dryly.

"I'm afraid I made a bad first impression, as it is," Tiffany counters ruefully.

"I masked most of it. You froze several times, and your words were laced with unstable shock, so I masked it."

"You're a lifesaver, even more than I thought," Tiffany says sincerely. "I'd been wondering why he didn't notice."

"I can't replicate your voice very well, I couldn't have helped you if you'd fainted."

"Well, you probably could have masked my presence altogether."

"I could've." Fiona agrees.

"It was very faintworthy, though, and I would be utterly unsurprised if I had," Tiffany argues, though. "As it is, I think my reaction was quite calm. What? I had to kill this guy some time back, and even if it did just seem like a game then... you don't just see the guy afterwards - unexpectedly - "

"Because it would've been a whole lot different if you met him when you thought you were going to meet him," Fiona interjects.

"Yes, I know - you don't just see the guy unexpectedly and go 'hey, how ya doin'?"

"I know, right?"

"This is all Mat and Ayla's fault!" Tiffany bursts out suddenly.

"How is it Mat and Ayla's fault?" Fiona asks, surprised.

"They're the ones who took us to Lion's Arch and got us thinking about Claw Island," Tiffany says. "And they're the ones who - Fi, they want to go to the Grove tomorrow! Given our luck, we'll see him again."

"And that is bad because...?"

"Because the timeline is going off! I won't know what to do next, soon!"

"Just go with the flow, and all we're really trying to do is the airships."

"What about the dungeons?"

"Huh?"

"That get Destiny's Edge back together. Eir goes after the sword that is twin to Rytlock's Sohothin - Magdaer - and you go with Rytlock to prevent her from stirring up the ghosts. And then there's this party to celebrate the detente with the charr - the treaty - being successful. And after that, I think Zojja is going after Kudu and Caithe and Eir go after her. And then Twilight Arbor, and then the one with Logan and Rytlock, and then Eir tries to die heroically because she thinks she's worthless after what Zojja said to her, and then Zojja goes after Kudu again and - "

"Tiff, calm down!"

"But why haven't we heard about any of it?"

"How did you hear about it in the game?"

"This anonymous guy who calls himself 'Your Herald' sends you mail."

"Well, I doubt he exists here."

"That makes sense. But then how...?"

"I get the feeling you'd only be told about the ones that have to do with you - like the one about the treaty with the charr. Or any that Logan is in."

"Hmmph. Probably. I wonder if I could stop Queen Jennah getting kidnapped?"

"Maybe they used illusions." Fiona says. "I can't sense illusions yet."

"Queen Jennah and Countess Anise are mesmers."

"Really?"

"Queen Jennah made a clone of Kralkatorrik and made a bunch of Branded stop attacking Ebonhawke, once. That was the time Logan needed to defend her while Destiny's Edge was fighting the real Kralkatorrik."

"So she didn't need Logan?"

"No, no, she needed Logan to defend her while she prepared. She needed to look into Kralkatorrik's mind - don't ask me how she did - to make the clone. And Logan's good at defending. And I doubt he would have felt she was in danger through the magical link if she wasn't in danger. He didn't _need_ to go - meaning that he wasn't compelled to. He could've stayed if he wanted. But he chose to go to her."

"Oh. What were we talking about?"

"Who knows. It's late, anyway. Tomorrow we have to go to the Chantry of Secrets, take Mat and Ayla to the Grove - and _that_ will take who knows how long - and then, I don't know. I've always wondered about the Whispers missions. And I've always wondered what your mentor - Tybalt - which is pronounced 'tibblt', not 'tie-balt' - is like in the Order."

"We'll find out tomorrow."

"You know what Falcon would've said if he was there earlier?"

"What?" Fiona asks, already dreading the answer.

"He would have said I was acting like a teenager with a crush, and I would agree I was acting like that."

"Are you?"

"No. I was _acting_ like it. I've just always felt like Tyria was real, even before we came here. And so killing Trahearne was always an ache. What would you have done had Tangwen told you to kill her? I tried to imagine it a few times, to see whether I would feel any different than I do - did - about Trahearne, but it's not reliable. _She_ couldn't tell me 'hey, there's a dragon trying to possess me, so... kill me, will ya?' because dragons don't _exist_ on Earth. It was entirely believable with Trahearne, though, mostly because sylvari had been saying 'oh, Mordremoth's voice is doing X now' the _whole_ HoT."

"I see what you mean."

"Falcon wouldn't, which is why it's good he wasn't there."

"Oh, yes I was," Falcon says from the doorway. Tiffany jumps, and then, seeing who it is, buries her head in her hands. ' _Oh, no... now he's going to be unbearable...'_

"I'm a thief, remember? I was stealthed the whole time. And all I had to do was stand behind you, since you're not playing and can't see my name hovering."

Tiffany frowns at him. He has an echo. And it's a faint english echo, not an overpowering Tyrian echo.

"Fiona," she says, glaring.

Fiona laughs and dismisses the illusion. "How'd you figure it out?"

"The echo."

"Well, that's good to know," Fiona says, frowning slightly. "What is this echo, anyway?"

"Who knows," Tiffany says, shrugging. "Hey! Maybe Anet brought us here, and is monitoring us for more storyline ideas. But they need to translate the Tyrian for us."

"But then why does speaking Tyrian - like right now - produce an english echo?"

"I don't know. But it sure is a very faint echo. Maybe they're afraid we'll forget english?"

"Or maybe they just don't care. It's probably not Anet anyway. Anyway. We were going to sleep, right?"

"Right. Big days ahead of us."

"Tiffany!" Petra hollers up the staircase. "A message for you!"

"Coming!" Tiffany hollers back. She climbs down the stairs. "Yeah?"

"Here," Petra says, handing it over. It has the royal seal on it.

' _Again?_ ' Tiffany wonders, before opening the scroll. ' _Oh! It's an invitation to the celebration of the treaty going through. It says I can bring friends. Well, it was a dungeon, and required five people, so that makes sense. Not that I've anyone to bring except Fiona, and... well, I wonder if Mom, Dad, and/or Falcon can come? I know he's got high-level characters, but Mom and Dad stopped leveling after they found me and Fiona. And Tangwen's even worse off. Harrison and Falcon're good, though... and I only had one helper when I did this in-game. We'll manage.'_ speaking aloud, she tells Petra what it is.

"Interesting. You should tell me all about it when you get back," Petra instructs.

Laughing, Tiffany replies, "I will, no worries." going back to her bedroom, she tells Fiona what it is, and who she is planning on inviting with her.

"Deborah might be a good choice. She's not of a specific level, and you've seen her with that blade of hers."

Tiffany tries to snap her fingers and fails. Again. "Right, that's a good one! But... we've managed to keep awkward questions from surfacing about the PCs, but how are we going to explain reviving to them? Especially when they lose health, not get injured?"

"Illusions," Fiona says simply.

"Fiona, your illusions are so OP!"

"I know they are. That's why player mesmers can't do that." Fiona says, nodding.

"Hmmph. Well, at least they are. We'd probably be in a terrible way if we only had player things." Tiffany says with a grimace. "I can't count the number of times my knives have saved me or done something for the storyline."

"When is the celebration?"

Tiffany checks the message again. "Four days. Saturday. Unless Tybalt has a mission for us at the same time I don't think we'll have trouble."

"Great!" Fiona says cheerfully. "Bedtime, now."

"Good night."

"Good night."

* * *

"Whispers day!" Tiffany shouts, bouncing on Fiona's bed.

Fiona groans in sleepiness. "You're acting like a four-year-old on Christmas morning."

"You're acting like my sweater that says 'I'm only a morning person on Dec. 25th'," Tiffany replies cheerfully. "Or like me on every day except Dec. 25th or every day in Tyria."

"Hence the shirt that says so," Fiona grouches.

"Do you want me to play 'Fear Not This Night'? Or maybe I should parody it backwards, because you seem to want to cling to the night when you shouldn't."

"You don't have the lyrics, it'd be horrible."

"I could go to the Grove and ask Canach," Tiffany teases. "The Pale Tree sings that to her children."

"And you'd specifically seek out Canach and ask _him_ , rather than any sylvari in the Grove?" Fiona asks skeptically. "He'd probably glare at you and walk away."

"Yes, I would. I'd tell him my baby sister specifically requested me to ask him." Tiffany says, nodding seriously.

"You wouldn't. You do know we have to meet Canach some time for the story, and that'd be a horrible first impression?"

"You'd make us look and sound not like us," Tiffany counters.

"I'm trying to sleep, which is the whole reason..."

"Exactly. And then it would be worse than pointless. So get out of bed before I do it." Tiffany replies cheerfully. Fiona groans and rolls over again. "I woke you up by having an engaging conversation with you," Tiffany says sternly, pushing Fiona off her bed. "Get up."

Fiona yelps as she crashes onto the floor. "What was that for?" she demands, half-angrily.

"You're angry now!" Tiffany cheers, clapping her hands and trying (failing) to do the /cheer animation. "If you're angry, you can't be sleepy. Up!"

Fiona grumbles. "Now I'm in that in-between state where I'm not sleepy enough to believe I'm standing there, but not awake enough to imagine it happening. Now I'm helpless."

"So wake up," Tiffany repeats smugly.

"What's the big deal, anyway?" Fiona grouches, rolling under the bed to get away from the light of the window, but waking up a little anyway.

"We have to go to the Whispers place. And leave our Vigil/Priory stuff here. And take Mat and Ayla to the Grove. Who knows how long _that'll_ take, and - "

"We don't have to do it _all_ today!"

"Oh, yes we do," Tiffany says with an evil grin, opening the door quietly. Beorn bounds into the room. "Wake up!" she hollers at Fiona, and Beorn tries to lick her face.

"Wha - Tiffany!" Fiona screeches. "What did you do?!"

"Set Beorn on you. I'll call him off when you're up," Tiffany says, laughing.

"You're evil," Fiona grouches. "So evil."

"I thought you were more sensitive than that," Tiffany says with a small gasp. "I know I'm evil, you don't have to tell me!" she turns and runs out of the room.

"Yeah," Fiona says, rolling her eyes. "This again. Beorn, get _off!_ " then, cackling madly, she turns Beorn into a slug. "Ooh, I _am_ sleepy enough to believe insane things!" she says in delight. The slug turns back into Beorn. "Oh. Guess I woke up by doing whatever. Well, I'm not sleepy enough to care anymore."

"Of course you don't care," Tiffany grouches, standing in the doorway.

"Hey, I didn't do it, you did," Fiona replies. "You're the one who took offense at my saying you're evil, not me."

"That's the whole entire point - I did it. It's not 'I did it, you didn't,' it's 'I _did_ it'."

"Go on, say that three times fast. And now the word 'did' is three meaningless letters that honestly sounds retarded," Fiona remarks.

"That's your fault." Tiffany grumbles.

"You're the one who said it three times."

"You're the one who brought it up."

"Oh, shut up," Fiona grumbles. "You're making a big deal out of nothing. And it won't even happen."

"That's right. And I have to face _him_ knowing what I was willing to do - "

" - in a video game - "

" - that just so happens to be _real_ \- "

" - but it never happened in the first place - "

" - which doesn't matter, I was _willing_ \- "

" - but you _thought_ it was a game, which is what counts - "

"I didn't think so afterwards!"

"That's because you were weird."

" _Were_?" Tiffany challenges.

"Are, are. You are weird."

"And if I hadn't been being weird, we'd never have got here and it _would_ have happened, really, eventually."

"So good for you. But it's not your fault. At the time, you thought it was a game - "

"So?"

"So it doesn't count!"

"So stop _arguing_!" Deborah says, stepping into the room with a grumble. Tiffany and Fiona shut up instantly.

' _How much did she hear how much did she hear how much did she hear,_ ' Tiffany thinks rapidly.

"You argue too much. Whatever it - "

"Whatever _you_!" Tiffany hollers desperately.

"Double whatever!" Deborah snaps back.

"Extra-effective double whatever!" Fiona smirks.

"Double-effective quadruple whatever!"

"Quintuple-effective eight-tuple whatever!" Tiffany interrupts.

"Sixteenuple-effective thirty-double whatever!" Deborah says, and Fiona breaks out laughing.

"Thirty-double!" she giggles. Tiffany laughs aloud. Deborah snorts.

"How abouuut..." Petra says from the doorway. "Extra-effective _nobody cares_ curse?"

Tiffany gapes at Petra. " _Extra-effective nobody cares_?" she cries. "That's the ultimate - "

"Double-ultimate - " Deborah continues.

"Thirty-double-ultimate - " Fiona gasps.

" _Hate curse!_ " Tiffany finishes. "You know what it means that you hate-cursed us?"

"What?" Petra asks apprehensively. _'I'll never listen to Dad's advice again..._ '

"It means Fiona gets to make an illusion of you doing the most absurdly ridiculous things all over Divinity's Reach!"

"What sorts of things?" Petra asks in a small voice.

The three look at each other.

"Oh, the usual - " Deborah starts out, stalling.

"For the hate curse, of course - " Fiona adds, nodding.

"Barging into the throne room and shrieking 'whatever' at the Queen - " Tiffany supplies.

"And Captain Thackeray!" Deborah says a tad fearfully.

"And Countess Anise." Fiona says with a dangerous grin. "She's a mesmer, too, and could do even worse things to you, using illusions."

Petra makes a faint nose in the back of her throat and backs out of the room, before turning and fleeing.

The three collapse on the floor, laughing their heads off.

"We _so_ scared her!" Tiffany says with a mad cackle.

Then, Petra reappears at the doorway with a feral grin.

"What," she starts, "Did I say about using illusions like that?" she is holding a small, round signet stone in her hand.

Fiona freezes. Then, "I can control the illusions remotely! It won't matter if you tether us!"

"It _does_ mean you sisters can't witness it first-hand, however," Petra smirks.

"What if you tethered illusions to the house? Because us three are illusions."

"That makes more sense. I'd never have thought this of Deborah."

"And you would of _us_?" Fiona asks in a wounded tone.

"I - but - yes, yes I would!" Petra says.

Tiffany rolls her eyes. "Even if we weren't illusions, we could all waypoint right now." she disappears with a puff. Taking her cue, the other two do as well.

However, Tiffany pops to Palace waypoint, Deborah to Salma waypoint, and Fiona to Shaemoor waypoint. And then, trying to find each other, they all go hopping over Kryta, looking, until Tiffany locates Deborah at the Vigil Keep, and Fiona finds them in Shadowheart Site in southern Kryta.

"That excercised my waypoint memory," Fiona groans, holding her head.

"Think what it was for me - I've been _way_ out of practice!" Deborah declares. "I forgot half of them while I was with the bandits!"

"How'd you get to Vigil Keep, then?"

"I was popping to random waypoints that I couldn't remember exactly where in Kryta they were, just the immediate area."

"Ah. Well, what were we doing?"

"Running away from Petra," Fiona volunteers. "Because she walked in on us while we were having a curse-war,"

"With me because _I_ walked in on you while you were arguing - "

"Because Fiona said I was evil and we were arguing over whether I really was or not - "

"And I called you evil because you woke me up - "

"Because we were supposed to try and find the Whispers place today!" Tiffany says, slapping her forehead. "And here we've gone and wasted half the morning."

"Let's go!" Fiona says, and the two disappear in a puff of blue. Deborah shakes her head and pops to the Seraph outpost she is assigned to.

* * *

At the waypoint north of the Deadend Cave, Tiffany and Fiona puff in. When the two get close enough for Fiona's portal-anchor to activate, they portal in.

"And we left our stuff behind, so in we go!" Tiffany says cheerfully, diving into the water. She doesn't bother equipping her underwater gear, as she knows she won't be battling anything. (Except her aquabreather, of course.)

Down the deep tunnel, the cave ends abruptly. Fiona rolls her eyes and swims through, then back, then shatters, and the real Fiona swims up to Tiffany from a bit behind her.

"You just had to, didn't you?" Tiffany asks dryly.

"Did I? I was under the impression you didn't like running into walls you didn't know were real or not?" Fiona teases. Tiffany groans.

"Come on," Tiffany grouches.

Tiffany swims through the wall ' _Pretend it's like Platform Nine-and-Three-Quarters,_ ' she tells herself. ' _There's something new and exciting on the other side, all you have to do is walk through a pretend brick (or, in my case, stone,) wall._

On the other side of the wall, Tiffany can see the surface, and she comes up, with Fiona by her side. Tiffany looks exxageratedly back as if looking for Fiona. "So it is you, this time, and not an illusion," she tells Fiona. Fiona just smiles at her.

On the shore, they are still in a cavern. Tiffany nods to herself. "I remember this place," she tells Fiona. Fiona, ever-cautious, erects a sound barrier. It _is_ the Whispers place. "It's all one big cave. Unfortunately, only Whispers members are allowed past a certain area, so I'm totally unprepared for all this. Plus, I was wandering around outside storyline time, so nobody reacted to me hardly at all."

"In other words, pretend this is earth and take it as we take real life. Got it," Fiona says.

"Sure. That's odd... But it'll mostly be talking (and if it's not, we can deal with it), just about Tyrian subjects (which I am awesome at) and so - "

"Just say 'good idea'," Fiona tells her. "No need to go on and on."

"Right. If someone was writing our story, I'd hate to make them write down all my insane ramblings about things nobody cares about."

"Come to think of it, why didn't you ever write a story where we get pulled into Tyria, before we actually did?"

"Oh, well, I did, remember? It was called ' _Tyria's Real!?_ ', but it was way too out-of-character. And it didn't have Mat and Ayla in it, and really it was all just us going and doing what our characters did in the game anyway, and so everything turned out just normal. I never posted it, or maybe I did... I don't remember. I may have posted a few chapters of it, but I really never thought about it. I don't know why I wrote it."

"Let's get moving, then," Fiona says. "Or don't we want to be Whispers Agents?"

"Initiates, at first," Tiffany corrects.

"Wh - whichever," Fiona says. "Let's go." she dismisses the sound barrier, and Tiffany leads the way through the cavern.

' _Fiona's gonna jump. And so will I, to keep up the facade._ ' Tiffany thinks, smirking.

Ten yards into the cavern, Tiffany sees two people talking in low tones to each other. They ignore the two girls. Tiffany frowns in confusion. A couple yards further on - ' _I'm still using Earth measurents,_ ' - it seems like someone (human, Tiffany notes) jumps out of thin air, startling Tiffany badly, even though she was half expecting it. Fiona jumps.

"You are not members of the Order," the man tells them. He pauses, as if expecting a response. When none comes, he runs his eyes over them. "Stay here," he tells them, before stealthing.

Tiffany looks at Fiona in apprehension. Fiona shrugs back at her.

A minute later, the man reappears. "You have done well," he tells them. "Agent Xinn had no idea you were here, and did not see anyone matching your description pass him."

"I'm a mesmer," Fiona says flatly. "Of course he wouldn't have. Xinn - is that his name? - didn't see us at all, however."

"And if you brought him here, he probably couldn't identify us with our magical currents and energies, either." Tiffany tells him. "Unless Beorn has similar... currents to me," she says, frowning at her animal companion.

The man raises an eyebrow, but other than that, his expression does not change. ' _We'll have to learn how to do that,_ ' Tiffany notes. "Clever," he comments. "Come with me."

He leads them farther into the cavern. Tiffany holds her breath, expecting more Whispers Agents to jump out of stealth to surprise them, but none do. ' _Maybe it's different for Whispers folk_ ,' she thinks. ' _I really know too little about the Whispers for my comfort. Wasn't Falcon Whispers?'_

Suddenly, the man turns aside into the wall. Tiffany is surprised, but decides it was not altogether unexpected, what with the fake wall in the cavern. However, he could have just stealthed and pretended to walk through the wall. She puts her hand on the wall for a moment before walking through. Beorn shies away from the wall, but she coaxes him through mentally.

The man leads them through winding passages for a minute before he enters a room where a small group of people stand. The group seems to have been formed regardless of race, Tiffany notes. ' _It's one of the Orders. Of course it was,_ ' she tells herself with a mental eye-roll.

"There is a problem that needs solving," the man announces to the room. Tiffany frowns in confusion. "Two tribes of hylek have been arguing over territory. I know for a fact that there is land that would suit both tribes as much as what they are arguing over to the east, but the argument will pop up again in a little while, most likely."

The small group nods, and a few look appraisingly at Tiffany and Fiona. Tiffany is dreadfully confused. ' _I was never Whispers, I don't know what's going on, play it safe,_ ' she tells herself over and over.

"What are your names?" one norn asks them.

"Tiffany Sm - Smith," Tiffany tells them cautiously, stumbling over her last name again, but deciding to keep it that way. ' _These are Whispers folk, after all..._ ' Fiona shoots her a startled look, that Tiffany can tell is veiled by an illusion - but Tiffany shakes her head ever so slightly.

"I am Fiona," Fiona tells them. "We're sisters." Tiffany mentally nods in appreciation. There are several pretend/emergency situation last names available to the pair, and the fewer know about them, the better.

"And your race?" another person asks sharply.

"Human," Fiona says in clear confusion.

Tiffany pauses a moment in confusion, then smiles. "If we can hide it with an illusion, can't we hide it with words as well?"

The question seems to satisfy the questioner (and surprise Fiona, for a brief moment).

"The Order of Whispers does not need to know such things," the man who escorted them in says levelly, to no one in particular. "Our only need is to know what to call you. Tell me, will you answer to those names quickly and without hesitation?"

"Yes, sir," Tiffany says.

"Why - " Fiona starts.

"Because some have given names that they thought up on the spot, and had never answered to before. They have all come to bad ends. Think of all the possible ways not knowing your given name as _you_ could turn out as."

Fiona falls silent, going ever so slightly paler than normal.

"Any questions?" the man asks the room.

"Will we be required to do anything?" Tiffany asks after a moment. It seems automatically understood that Tiffany and Fiona are trying to join the Order of Whispers.

"You will do what you must to solve the current problem among the Zintl and an unnamed hylek tribes."

"Alone, or...?" Tiffany asks.

"You will have no aid," the man says.

' _My analytic mind has this guy already classified as 'Aes Sedai',_ ' Tiffany thinks to herself. ' _It is so obviously a test, but he did not say would be alone. But we might be led to think we are alone. Dangerous._ '

"Is there anything else we should know about the situation?" Tiffany asks cautiously.

"The sooner they are settled, the better," the man says. "There is no specific time limit, but try to get to it before they get in a war and one tribe murders the other."

"We will take that into consideration," Tiffany says, nodding.

"You remember the way in?"

"To here?" Tiffany asks. "Perhaps. We certainly know how to get out. What we don't know is where the hylek are."

The man blinks once, slowly. "South. Far south, past the quaggan village of Castavall. The Zintl have a waypoint called Zintl Holy Grounds waypoint. The Vigil help defend their village from Risen all the time. Go and complete your task."

Once through the door and around a corner, Fiona opens her mouth in confusion.

"Not here, Fiona. Drop a portal anchor." Tiffany says in clipped tones, glancing around the corridor. She bites her lip and thinks for a moment, before nodding. " **Fiona, make it seem like Beorn waypoints away when I do. Just make the blue dust - he'll disappear on his own. Then come to Castavall waypoint. Remember it?** " she pulls out her aquabreather - Castavall waypoint is underwater - and waits for Fiona's reply.

" **Couldn't not. It's a waypoint.** "

Tiffany nods once, twice, thrice, and waypoints on the third, telling Beorn to stay. He stealths as she leaves, and Fiona's illusion of the waypoint effect covers the fact that he stayed. Then Fiona follows Tiffany. Beorn curls up in a corner where no one will notice him under stealth.

* * *

"Okay, so south?" Fiona asks, her voice muffled by her aquabreather.

"Yep. The guy would've specified if there was a pass we had to find."

"Unless he means us to find it on our own. He definitely knows more about this hylek situation than he lets on."

"Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if the whole argument was set up by the Order. I mean, really? And unnamed tribe?"

"What do you think?"

"We don't know enough about the situation, of course. It very well could be a legit hylek argument, but who knows. Can't go making assumptions, of course. _That_ is a very good way to get killed, one way or another."

"Wonder how far south?" Fiona asks a little while later.

"Can't be too far," Tiffany comments. After a moment, she adds, in the Tyrian variant of Shilgni, " **From now on, everything to do with this once having been a game will be spoken in Shilgni. Who knows what spies they've tagged us with, huh?** "

" **Good idea** ," Fiona replies. " **What made you think of it?** "

" **They wouldn't put a terrible amount of water in between zones.** "

Fiona nods.

"Oh, look. Land," Tiffany says a while later, pointing to the right.

The two scramble out of the water, and Tiffany looks around. "Hm. **I don't recognize this place.** "

"Looks like there's walls up there."

"Hmm," Tiffany says, looking up the slope. ' _Outpost/fort style. I'd guess Pact, except Pact isn't here yet. Hoo! I should go check out Fort Trinity sometime before the Pact, see what it's like. That'll be fun. It's low on the 'things to do in spare time' list, though._ ' Shaking out of her thoughts, she motions to Fiona and clambers up the slope.

It's a Vigil camp, and Tiffany quickly motions to Fiona to do the talking. She doubts anyone here has heard of her, but precautions. She _is_ being tested on a Whispers level. She grimaces; that's a scary thought.

The Zintl are just south and a little east, as it happens.

* * *

After Tiffany and Fiona settle the hylek dispute, Fiona decides they should go straight back to the Chantry of Secrets. "This whole thing was a test," she explains as they go to the waypoint nearest the Chantry. "They're likely going to want to test as much as possible with one situation as they can. It's the Order of Whispers."

"Right. Perhaps they want to know how well we can report things properly - no doubt briefly, to the point, and informative." Tiffany says, nodding. "Beorn's this way," she adds.

"Not like there was much to report." Fiona grumbles. "The unnamed tribe had been living peacefully on the Zintl's land for a while, and then wanted to declare their borders, but they were on the Zintl's land, and of course the Zintl protested. We relocated them to Toade's Head, which is also a rather defensible postion."

"Sounds brief, to the point, and informative to me," Tiffany answers. "Definitely no need for a play-by-play of the whole thing. Only problem I can see is who the last 'them' is - 'we relocated them to Toade's Head.' It seems obvious in our context, but in a report it might seem a bit vague."

"Well, we can't go on calling them the 'unnamed tribe'."

"We might have to. Honestly, it's better than some of the unpronouncable names I've seen."

"I suppose."

"Ha!" Tiffany whirls around and points at Fiona with a victorious grin. "You said 'I suppose'!

"I _guess_ I did," Fiona says ruefully. "Not as much as you, though."

"Has your portal anchor activated? We're right on top of where Beorn should be," Tiffany asks.

"Oh, yeah. Sorry." Fiona says, placing her portals. The two reappear right beside Beorn, who unstealths.

"It was hard fighting the Risen without you," Tiffany tells him. "They attacked the Zintl - **Fiona, I keep wanting to call them Itzel!** \- grounds."

"Well, let's go in," Fiona says, gesturing at the door to the room.

"You have returned," the man who first led them in greets them. "How did it go?"

"The Zintl had been allowing the unnamed tribe to live on their land for a while, and the unnamed tribe wanted to declare itself as an official tribe. The Zintl wouldn't let them - because it is their land - and we suggested the unnamed tribe move to Toade's Head, east of the Zintl. While we were figuring out the situation, the Zintl's grounds were attacked by Risen, which we helped to fend off."

"Very good. Did you take any precautions to prevent this from happening in the future?"

"With the Zintl, I expect they want to keep their Holy Grounds secure, not keep taking over land. If the unnamed tribe decide to expand, there is pleny of land to the south not claimed by any hylek."

"Good. Your next task will be to give us a list of the people you know, and how well. You can take as long as you need with this, but we do require it in preservable form."

Tiffany nods, and so does Fiona.

As the door swings closed behind the two, the man turns to the others in the room.

"Ingvil," the man starts.

"I shadowed them closely, Arer," says a female norn, unstealthing. "They talk gibberish between them occasionally. They heard out both sides of the argument between the hylek before coming to a decision. They did not force their decision on the hylek, but the way they suggested it showed it in a very favorable light. They are very analytic and suspicious - Tiffany guessed that the whole situation was set up by the Order, before adding that assumptions could get people killed, and that she didn't know one way or the other, and so she was going to be cautious. The other - Fiona - seems to be more of a follower type. I would guess the younger sister by a year or two, however is perceptive enough to see that the whole thing was a test, even down to how well they can give a brief report. In my opinion, they aced all aspects of it."

"They talk gibberish between them?" an asura says speculatively.

"I would guess a childhood secret language that developed more than they thought it would be. It is no language I know, but no foreign-sounding words, either."

"That is puzzling." Ingvil replies. "Let's see what their contacts list comes back with."

* * *

 _Author's Notes:_

Okay! A _really_ long one! I hope you liked how I've started getting them into the Order of Whispers.

I have never played as a Whispers agent, nor seen anyone else play as one of them, nor read the quests on the wiki, so I made things up as I went. I had everything planned out by the time they waypointed to Castavall. I logged on and surveryed the area around the Zintl Holy Grounds, and formulated an argument.

I decided to skip the actual mission, because this chapter is already long, but I conveyed what happened in dialogue... which was easier than I thought it would be.

And I forgot about the sharp surprise that awaited you in the beginning, oh boy. At Claw Island.

Tiffany was _going_ to faint, but what that would do to storyline I don't know. Plus, her reaction is a highly-exxagerated version of how _I_ would react if it happened to me. Because I totally can only imagine reactions for things that I can _actually_ believe happening - which, not being in Tyria, I can't imagine this happening to me, here.

But also, she's already seen all of Destiny's Edge and people like that, and has fully realized by now _she is in Tyria_ and all that entails. Except for that part. So it's a little dampened, but still there, mainly because it happened in a surprise.

If she'd first seen Trahearne when she expected to - trying to warn Watch Commander Talon about an impending attack - she'd know it was coming, and be prepared. She'd probably still freeze, but not in utter shock, just... I don't know. Shock at seeing him alive, perhaps? I don't even know my own self. (It comes with her having different experiences from me and not realizing a couple of the things I've realized.)

So, surprise #1: Meeting Trahearne early. Surprise #2: The stuff going on with the Order. Surprise #3 was also going to come in, but that'll happen chapter after next, because this was wayy to long.

 _Anyway._

I hope this isn't too much of a cliffie... I feel like it's a cliffie for me. Just because... I don't even know. Even though it's not

OKAY! I'm done rambling now. I feel like I need to explain things a lot after the fact, because... I don't even know.


	9. Chapter 9: Mat & Ayla's Field Trip (P 2)

SOLDIERS, SCHOLARS, AND SPIES

* * *

Summary: Tiffany and Fiona take Mat and Ayla to the Grove to see the sylvari. Mat and Fiona get in an argument, with Ayla trying to mediate, that mirrors Zojja and Eir's argument with Caithe trying to fix it. Tiffany intervenes and solves it.

* * *

Chapter nine: Mat and Ayla's Field Trip (Part 2)

* * *

 _Author's Notes:_

I added a section to the last chapter. Go read it, or the later half of this chapter might be a bit confusing. Alright, nevermind. Tiffany just mentions to Trahearne last chapter as they are saying goodbye that they already have plans to go to the Grove tomorrow.

Now, this is Mat and Ayla wandering around the Grove talking to people. Every dialogue does happen (except, I changed some of them a bit) so if you want to find these NPCs in the Grove, or look them up online, you can. The two Wardens and two Mentors are ambient dialogue, but I think I included enough direction in the story for you to be able to find everyone. If not, google them. I'll add names in italics and parentheses so you know who to look for. They are purely for your benefit - Tiffany and Fiona don't know these people's names unless it said in context other than ( _italicized parentheses_ ). These are the name tags hovering above their heads, which means that ( _Gate Assistant_ ) shows up in the game as Gate Assistant. If no name is mentioned (like sylvari who tells them the name of a waypoint) then I made them up. I am counting on you to know the nametags of people like Caithe and Trahearne.

Fiona: The contacts list may be in this chapter - or it could be in the next. It... could be a complete list. I get the feeling it would be cool to see, but maybe a bit boring - this is all information you know already, after all.

 **Attention**. I am SO sorry for the delay in writing this story, but I literally couldn't for quite a while. I lost the cord to my computer, and it wasn't backed up on the cloud (a fact I will rectify, and soon). So, I lost my cord (found it, though, yay, so I didn't have to rewrite) and couldn't write for a long time. Sorry.

 _ **Okay, here's the story now:**_

* * *

"Alright, you two," Fiona says to Mat and Ayla. "You still interested in going to the Grove?"

"Yes!" Ayal replies with a grin.

"Let's go, then!" Tiffany smiles. "You know how to get to Lion's Arch."

"Couldn't we use the waypoint?" Mat asks.

"We try not to," Tiffany explains. "Because your parents have to pay a fee every month for the waypoints used. And you can't skip out - the waypoint records who used the waypoint when, and it costs more the farther you go. So we use the gates, which are much cheaper, when we can."

"Ooh, that makes much more sense," Ayla replies. "Let's _go!_ "

"Alright, alright!" Tiffany replies, laughing. "Let's go."

Stepping through the asura gates - once to Lion's Arch, once to the Grove - is no less exciting than the first time Tiffany did it.

Tiffany shudders in delight at her first sight of the Grove. ' _It's so much more beautiful in person!_ '

"Is this your first time visiting the Grove?"

"Yes," Tiffany replies, looking around to see a sylvari ( _Gate Assistant_ ) looking at her interestedly. Mat and Ayla are looking around, wide-eyed. "We're taking these youngsters on a tour. Although, come to think of it... how can we do that if we don't know the place ourselves?"

"We'll manage," Fiona says lightly. "We always do."

"Tiffany, can we - " Mat asks, but is cut off by the sylvari.

"He's so much smaller than you are!" she exclaims.

"We're not grown up yet," Ayla explains.

"Human children are born wee little tiny," Tiffany explains. "And then they grow to our size over the next fifteen to twenty years."

"Fifteen years to grow up in? Why so long?"

"Humans grow rather slowly. Plus we have to learn everything. We aren't born with all the knowledge that sylvari are," Fiona says. "We have to learn how to walk and eat and talk and things like that. Those are done by about three years old. And then, I suppose they can survive, but they're only a little bigger than an asura at that point, and easy prey for anything that wants to kill them."

"So they stay at home with their parents," Tiffany agrees. "And they learn how to read and write and things like that. And other useful skills. Until they're all grown up and they do things. Unless you count 'birth' as when they leave their parents' house for good... in which case these two are still inside the Dream," Tiffany says, poking Mat and laughing.

"What do you mean?" Ayla asks, confused.

Mat grins. "I dream all the time."

"The Dream..." the sylvari replies. "It's hard to explain. It's where sylvari learn their purpose before they are born. It is where a Wyld Hunt is given, if any. And also where we learn things."

"How long does it take?" Mat asks interestedly.

"No one knows. Few awaken inside the Dream, and those that do only awake just prior to emerging from the Dream. The Dream warps time, so we can't judge based on how long it seems like it has taken. That's an interesting question, though, and not one I had considered. Now, go explore. And if you need help, just ask. Anyone can point you back here."

Tiffany thanks her and motions the others to follow her. As they walk away, they hear the sylvari begin speaking to the asura ( _Gate Engineer_ ) manning the gate.

"Your golem is strange. Was strange, rather."

"You drove it away, you know..."

Tiffany refocuses on Mat and Ayla. ' _How were we going to do this?_ ' she wonders. ' _What was the plan? I've never explored the Grove much._ ' "So, let's just wander around and talk to people, I suppose."

"Suppose!" Fiona whispers loudly, nudging Tiffany with her elbow.

Tiffany rolls her eyes. "Where do you two want to go?"

Ayla starts forward. Tiffany shrugs and follows her, making sure to keep track of where they are so they can get back home without a monstrous waypoint fee. ' _Yeah, from the Grove to even as far south as we've explored would be way to expensive._ '

Ayla heads east from the asura gate but before they get far, they are stopped by a sylvari ( _Dubh_ ).

"Hello, there! If it's not too personal, may I ask if you have children?"

Tiffany glances at Mat and Ayla amusedly, before asking, "Why do you ask?"

"I've been hired by a Krytan noble to protect her children while she's visiting the Grove, but because my people cannot have children, I don't know anything about them."

"Well, I don't have any children - not of my own - but I know plenty about them. More than most, I would think." Tiffany says with a smile. "What age range are you looking for information about?"

"She said five, seven, and ten." he shakes his head. "Why anyone of that age would need watching I don't know."

"This is Mat and Ayla," Tiffany says with a small smile. "Ayla will be five later in the year, and she needs watching very much. Mat is is six, and he is the same. I've known a ten-year-old, and he was the most annoying person I have ever had the pleasure to lay eyes on. I know a seven-year-old, and he liked getting into things _so_ much it was all I could do to keep him out of trouble. I know a little five-year-old girl who likes leaving her stuff all over the house, and doesn't like putting them away in reasonable places."

Throughout Tiffany explanation, the sylvari's expression had been changing, first to amazement, then trepidation, fear, and uncertainty and back. Fiona stifles a smile.

"The most important thing is to be patient," Fiona says at last. "Be patient, but firm. If you tell one of them to do something, and they don't do it, train them."

"Train them?"

"Give them a little swat on the leg, tell them 'listen to me when I tell you to do something', and give the command again." Tiffany instructs. "If they still don't, do it again. They'll catch on pretty soon, and if they don't, then you make them do it."

"That should work on the five-year-old. On the one who's ten, it will probably just make him rebellious and give their parents a hard time." Fiona cautions. "Instead of giving swats, you should take away one of his privileges for a while until he behaves better again."

"Ask the parents how they've been training their children." Tiffany advises. "It's probably best to use their method, because some parents will be extremely upset if you swat their children, and some will be upset if you punish them at all, in which case you should just let them do whatever they like... which will probably result in just making sure they don't get hurt."

"But you should also spend time with them," Fiona adds cheerfully. "Children love it when you read books to them and play silly games with them."

The sylvari finally finds his tongue. "I'm not parenting them!" he says. "I'm _protecting_ them! Guarding them from bandits and centaurs and the like!"

"O-oh." Fiona says, going red.

"In that case, if one of them runs up to you and shouts 'FIRE!' you make sure everyone is out of the house, and stay out. That's worst-case scenario, though. For guarding them... you really don't need to know much about the _children_ , more about the surrounding area and reputations of people. I would advise against letting strangers in the house, especially if the children don't know the person. I assume you know how to fight?"

"Certainly."

"Well, if you see bandits or centaurs, just fight them off. If there's too many, get the children out the back door and stay out of the house until they leave."

"What if there is no back door? Or what if they come in the back door?"

"If they come in the back door, leave through the front door," Tiffany says promptly. "If there is no back door, jump out a window. Careful of the glass, though. Maybe throw something through it if you have enough time."

"Why did you take the job if you don't know much about children?" Fiona asks.

"I've always found them fascinating," he explains. "I thought it would be a good idea to learn about another culture."

"Good idea," Fiona says, nodding. "Be sure and be careful of those children, especially if they're anything like the ones we know."

"I will," he replies sincerely.

"Fiona, can we go see that place?" Mat begs.

"Good-bye," Fiona says to the sylvari.

Mat leads back past the asura gate, taking a westerly route along the path. After a bit, he turns northward. Tiffany espies a tunnel to the west, but lets Mat lead the way ever northward.

After a while, when Tiffany is sure they must be almost at Caledon Forest by now (that is, if the map in her head is anything to go by), they come to a waypoint. Tiffany glances at Fiona, and neither of them remark upon the waypoint to Mat and Ayla. One of Fiona's illusions asks a nearby sylvari what the name of it is, to which the answer is Caledon waypoint.

Tiffany frowns momentarily, before he goes on to say that if they keep going north they will enter into the village of Astorea, in the Caledon Forest. ' _Astorea is the sylvari starting area_ ,' Tiffany remembers.

Mat, paying no attention to this, wanders in an easterly direction from Caledon Waypoint - ' _I hope he never tries to get here on his own,_ ' Tiffany thinks - and as they walk down the path, (which seems to deadend a little while on, looping back smoothly,) a sylvari ( _Dearthair_ ) turns to them suddenly.

"Every day I watch the water, wondering when Zhaitan will rise from Orr and put an end to everything. Do you suppose it would be a bad thing or just part of the natural order?"

"If Zhaitan came for me, I would fight it until my last breath," Tiffany tells her. "But you seem to assume he _will_ put an end to everything."

"Noble as it is to continue fighting, I can't help but fear that we're nothing more than sand fleas upon Zhaitan's rotten bulk. Perhaps you see hope where I do not."

"Hope is not a bad thing," Fiona speaks up.

"And Zhaitan does not rule Tyria," Tiffany adds. "He is not Tyria. He is a dragon. He has a physical form. As hard as it may seem, I do not think it is impossible."

"I do. I find it pointless to resist the current of change. For me, there's more value in recognizing truth, no matter how harsh it is. I am no Trahearne."

"What do you mean?" Ayla asks. "Who is Trahearne?"

Fiona blinks, surprised. ' _One of Tiffany's close friends has no idea who Trahearne is? This is a first!'_ She glances at Tiffany resignedly, to see her grimacing.

"He is a firstborn tasked with cleansing Orr. I do not think it is possible, but apparently he does, because he is often away from the Grove studying it."

"I would not..." Tiffany sighs, trying to think of something to say. "I do not think it is impossible."

The sylvari sighs, and turns back to the water she had been watching.

"Tiffany, Mat and Ayla are running back," Fiona says, drawing Tiffany's attention. Tiffany shakes her head and takes off after the children, who run back west, and then south. At this point Ayla takes the lead, following the winding path even more southward.

After a bit, they are at another waypoint, which is identified as Upper Commons. Tiffany and Fiona simply memorize the name and location, before following Ayla west. She doesn't go far, however, and stays on the pathway.

"I've been thinking," says a nearby sylvari ( _Ghorm_ ). "Why don't other races come from the Pale Tree, too? Why aren't they conceived in the Dream?"

Tiffany opens her mouth, and then closes it again with a puzzled expression.

"We're not sylvari," Fiona offers after a moment.

"I don't understand. Why are we different? Humans have their gods. Asura believe everything comes from the Eternal Alchemy. Norn follow the Spirits of the Wild."

At a loss, - ' _This is Tyria, and not Earth, after all_ ,' Tiffany thinks - she says, "That is a big question. Such things always are."

However, Mat asks over top of her, "What about the charr? What do they believe in?"

"I think they believe in their own strength. They probably don't worship God the way we do," Tiffany says absentmindedly. Fiona raises a puzzled eyebrow at her, trying to decipher _what_ exactly she means by that.

"You mean the Six?" Ayla asks, but the sylvari ignores her and keeps talking.

"I believe in a force that creates and shapes everything. It may be the Dream, but the Dream is built from our memories and experiences. So, I don't know."

' _'A force that creates and shapes everything' from a sylvari? I wonder how he will - would - react when - if - Mordremoth awakens._ ' Tiffany thinks with a shudder. "If such a force exists in Tyria," she says carefully, "it shouldn't rule you. If you figure it out... whatever brought you and all sylvari into the world, you are still you. You are your own self."

"Tiffany," Mat says, tugging on her sleeve. "Can we go over there?"

"Sure," Tiffany says absentmindedly.

Mat starts going south.

"Ayla, come on," Fiona calls.

Just before the path starts curving northwards again, a sylvari ( _Glas_ ) turns to them and begins talking. Tiffany raises her eyebrows at Fiona.

"There's so much to learn! The Dream certainly doesn't prepare us for everything. I have so many questions! The sky turns different colors, blue and gray and peach and so many others. But why? And where do clouds come from? Sometimes they're there, and sometimes they're not. None today, but there'll probably be some tomorrow. And then, some look like cotton, but why are others gray and drop water on us? Where do they get it from? Oh! And speaking of colors, why are there so many? Red, green, blue, and why can't we see them at night? And - "

"Let me guess," Tiffany says, allowing herself a giggle that turns into a laugh. "Sapling?"

"Oh, yes. I'm Glas. And I'm due for a lesson with my mentor soon. He's going to test me on the tenets of Ventari's Tablet, so I have to practice, if you'll excuse me."

"You can practice on me, if you want," Tiffany offers. "I know the tenets bit. How many are there?"

"Seven," Glas replies promptly. "And the first one is: Live life well and fully, and waste nothing. I got that one down."

Tiffany nods. "Good. And number two?"

"Do not fear difficulty. Hard ground makes sore feet."

Tiffany tries to stifle her laugh. Fiona masks the look on her face hurriedly.

"And number three?" she manages after a moment.

"The only lasting pieces are the pieces of your soul."

Tiffany does laugh, this time. Fiona hastily erects a small sound barrier.

"Next..." she gasps a moment later.

"All things...grow." Tiffany smiles uncertainly and nods. "And the blossom bothers the weed."

Tiffany doesn't even try to stop her laugh, this time, and Fiona barely has time to block it from reaching Glas's ears.

Glas goes on a moment later without a prompt from Tiffany. "Never leave a wrong to right into evil or sorrow."

"Ripen," Tiffany corrects. "Never leave a wrong to _ripen_ into evil or sorrow."

"Oh, right," Glas says. "And number six is 'Act with wisdom and axe.'"

Fiona throws up a sound barrier immediately, but Tiffany doesn't do more than smile. "'Act with wisdom, _but act_.'"

"Thanks," Glas replies with a small smile. "Number seven is, 'From the smallest grass to the largest mountain, where life grows, go there... and do things.'"

Tiffany frowns. "I know, that's a hard one. Go there... 'go there also', maybe? There you, too, should go'? Something like that. Try 'there you, too, should go' when your mentor quizzes you."

"That sounds rightish... but not really. I know there's a 'should' in there."

"Well, it's closer than what you had before, probably," Tiffany says, shrugging. "Go through them again? I know you got number one right, skip that one."

"Do not fear difficulty. Hard ground makes sore feet."

"Stronger roots," Tiffany corrects. "'Hard ground makes stronger roots.'"

"That's it," Glas says, nodding. "The only lasting pieces are the pieces of your soul."

"I think it's, 'the only lasting peace', peace as in peacfulness and quiet, 'the only lasting peace is the peace', same sort of peace, 'is the peace within your own soul'. 'The only lasting peace is the peace within your own soul.'"

"Right," Glas replies. "Got it. And, all things grow. The blossom bothers the weed."

"All things grow, all things grow... I know that one is a bit off," Tiffany says, "But I can't remember how. 'The blossom is brother to the weed.'"

"Brother, brother, I knew I was close," Glas says. "It was brother, not bother."

Tiffany smiles. "all things grow, all things - oh! It was 'all things _have a right_ to grow'."

"That sounds better," Glas says, nodding. "Never leave a wrong to... ripen? Yes, ripen - into evil or sorrow. And, 'Act with wisdom, but... but act.' 'From the smallest grass to the largest mountain, where life grows, there you should go.'"

"Smallest blade!" Tiffany says suddenly. "Smallest blade of grass, not just smallest grass."

"I knew it was off," Glas says, remembering. "See, I know it when I hear it. 'From the smallest blade of grass to the largest mountain, where life grows, go there also.' No, that last bit doesn't sound right either."

"I can't remember that bit either," Tiffany says. "Go through them again, make sure you remember?"

"Alright. 'Life live well and fully, and waste nothing.' 'Do not fear difficulty. Hard ground makes...' something about roots... oh yes, 'stronger roots.' 'The only lasting peace is the peace in your own soul.' 'All things... all things... all things grow. The blossom is bo... brother to the weed.' 'Never leave a wrong to righten... riper... ripen into evil or sorrow.' 'Act with wisdom, but act.' 'From the smallest grass, to the largest - from the smallest blade of grass to the largest mountain, where life grows, there too, should you go.' Did I get them all right?"

"You missed 'All things have a right to grow', but otherwise, yes. Except that one bit neither of us remember." Tiffany says with a smile. "Oh! And it's go. Where life _goes_ , not where it grows."

"Riiight," Glas says nodding. "I'll ask my mentor about the last bit."

"You do that," Tiffany says.

A few feet farther on, Tiffany hears two Wardens ( _Warden_ ) talking nearby.

"I was noticing the other day how plants resemble the body part they heal."

"Like how a slice of carrot looks like an eye?"

"Exactly. And how a cocoa bean resembles a broken heart."

Tiffany smiles a little, before returning her attention back to Ayla, who is leading again. ' _I guess those plants do look like that_ ,' she thinks.

Mat continues on steadily, around the path and back to Upper Commons waypoint. But then he goes northwest, and Tiffany sees the path begin spiraling downwards in a helix. Mat runs down happily.

"It sure is fun running downhill, isn't it?" Tiffany says, following Mat. "You do know there's a couple more levels to run down?"

"We can run down them later," Ayla declares. "I want to see more of the Grove. It's so pretty!"

"I know it is," Tiffany smiles.

Ayla walks eastward, passing another waypoint (Ronan's waypoint) with little notice. She turns slightly to the right (south), with the path.

"Let's go over this little bridge," Ayla says happily.

On the other side of the bridge (more for decoration than use, really,) two Mentors ( _Mentor_ ) seem to be teaching a class of saplings ( _Sapling_ ).

"Language is magic. Words carry power. The right word, spoken at the right time..."

"...to the right person, can change the future."

"A whisper in the right ear and can kill a culture."

"Language is magic. Words carry power."

"Choose your words and direct them with..."

"...noble demure!"

"For once a vile word has found its mark, there is no cure."

"There is no cure!"

Tiffany shivers, and looks at Fiona meaningfully. ' _It's almost like the universe delivered a warnig right into my lap,'_ she thinks. Fiona shrugs back at her.

"This is boring," Mat announces, and turns back over the bridge. On the other side, he follows a branch of the path northward, skipping along and looking at the sylvari-grown buildings.

"Pherick. Pherick. Pherick."

"What are you doing?" Mat asks the sylvari ( _Pherick_ ).

"Saying my name. Pherick. Isn't that the greatest name ever? Because it's my name, but it also sounds like a song. Pherick. Pherick. Especially when I sing it like this."

"That's a nice name," Mat observes. "Who named you?"

"What do you mean?"

"Who gave you your name?"

"What _are_ you talking about? No one 'gave' it to me, it's my name. How can someone give you something that's already yours? Are those your ears?"

"What?" Mat asks, startled. "...Of course they are!"

"Who gave _them_ to you?" Pherick challenges. "The answer is no one gave them to you because they were always your ears. Just like 'gave' me the name Pherick."

"But... then... how do you know Pherick is your name?" Ayla asks.

"Because when I first awoke from the Dream, Dilys was there and she said, "Welcome, my name is Dilys" and I said "Hi, my name is Pherick." How you do _you_ know those are _your_ ears?"

"Because they're _on_ me," Mat replies promptly. "Is your name _on_ you somewhere?"

"Well... no. But it's on my mind!" Pherick promises.

"Well, of course it's on your mind," Ayla says, as if that's obvious. "You're saying it over and over and can't stop talking about it. Of course it's on your mind."

"That's not what I meant," Pherick replies, confused. "I mean, I _knew_ my name."

"Knew?" Fiona asks with a mischeivous glint in her eye. "Knew? As in, past tense? You don't know it anymore?"

"Fi _o_ na," Ayla says sternly. "I _just_ said it was on his mind. Of course he still knows it."

"Whatever!" Pherick says, shaking his head. "Know it. You kn - know what I mean."

"Whatever you," Tiffany mutters under her breath. Fiona shoots her a sharp look.

"If I may be so bold," Pherick says with a challenging, mischeivous grin. "Who gave you _your_ name?"

"Mother," Ayla says at the same time as Mat says "Father."

"My mother chose mine!" Tiffany volunteers.

"My mother and father talked it over and agreed on a name." Fiona says.

Pherick blinks. "Oh. I'll... er... I'll have to ask... just let me think." He seems to think that his question did not go as planned.

Tiffany hides a smile. "Come on, Mat. Ayla."

Tiffany leads the little group back towards Ronan's waypoint, taking the long way around on the path, rather than going back the way they came.

Where the path rejoins to what seems to be the highway on that level of the Grove (it runs through the center of the area), Ayla insists they follow the path to the right. Tiffany shrugs, and Fiona doesn't seem to mind either. Mat just nods wearily. He'd done a lot of running around earlier, unlike Ayla who preferred looking at things.

Tiffany walks along amusedly behind Ayla, Beorn at her side.

"Weren't you two with Logan when we met in Lion's Arch?" asks a voice off to the right. Tiffany, startled only for a moment (she knows who it is), turns around.

"Yes, we were. You're Caithe, right?"

"Yes. This is Trahearne. I don't think - "

"We met him yesterday. Hello, Trahearne," Tiffany says, smiling.

"You did say you were headed here today. Who's this?"

"This is Mat and Ayla. They wanted us to bring them to the Grove and show them around, although how I thought we could do it without ever having been here ourselves, I don't know. It's worked out, though, and they're getting tired."

"It happens. So, you've met Caithe?"

"Yes. Caithe called Destiny's Edge together in Lion's Arch, and Logan invited me and Fiona along."

"We kind of hung out in the background, though." Fiona pipes up.

"Not much escapes my notice," she says, smiling mysteriously. "Now, introduce the children to me. Mat and Ayla, I think you said?"

"Yep," Mat says. "I'm Mat."

"I'm Ayla. Are you sylvari?"

"Yes. Are you interested in sylvari?"

"Oh, very much. They're very interesting," Ayla replies politely.

"And you're made out of..." Mat trails off, before turning and whispering in Ayla's ear. "You're made out of foliage." he tell Caithe importantly a moment later.

"Yes. The Pale Tree created us." Caithe says with an amused smile.

"A _tree_ made sylvari?" Mat exclaims.

"Not just any old tree, Mat." Tiffany stops. "How to explain this?" _'_ _ **Without**_ _mentioning Mordremoth and Blighting Trees?_ ' she sees Caithe grimace for a brief moment. ' _Riiight... Caithe knows about that, doesn't she? Well, I certainly can't let anything drop._ ' Tiffany glances at Fiona with a raised eyebrow.

"I don't think you can." Caithe says in a pondering tone, after a moment. "She's a mystery. Much like the Dream, really."

"I think we'll have to settle for being eternally curious," Tiffany jokes to Mat. Mat huffs. Ayla laughs.

"Ventari's Tablet probably had a lot to do with it, though." Caithe continues. "Would you like to see it?"

"What's Ventari's Tablet?" Mat asks.

"You'll see," Caithe tells them. "Come with me."

Mat and Ayla exchange excited looks, and Tiffany and Fiona exchange shrugs.

Caithe turns and leads them to a floating pod. "This is the elevator up," he tells them. "It is much quicker than going up the Great Helix."

It seems to be magically controlled, as the elevator soars up in the air after they are all in. Tiffany looks down happily at Mat and Ayla's grins as they look out.

When the elevator - ' _Wouldn't it be called something different in the lore? Who cares, it's just an elevator!_ ' Tiffany wonders - comes to a stop, the group leaves the elevator, which sinks back down again.

The two sylvari turn right and head down a little slope to another elevator, which lifts them even higher.

Mat and Ayla step out of the elevator and look around in awe.

"It's all so pretty," Ayla sighs happily.

"Yes, it is, isn't it?" Caithe agrees.

Glancing to the right, Tiffany sees a sylvari standing among some sylvan pups. "You know, I've always wondered about the sylvan hounds. I've never seen anything like them," she says.

"They come from the Pale Tree," Caithe explains. "When they bloom, Parroen trains them."

"Puppies bloom?" Ayla asks curiously.

"It seems so," Fiona tells her with a smile. "They're special puppies."

"They're made out of... of foliage too!" Mat exclaims happily, running over to them. Tiffany allows herself a smile.

The sylvari - Parroen - turns to Mat and greets him. "Don't mind the pups. They investigate things by chewing on them."

Mat grins. "Can I play with them?"

"Sure."

Ayla joins him.

"Well, they're down for some fun for a while," Fiona remarks. "As long as they don't realize they are pups."

"They were absolutely terrified of the fully-grown ones earlier," Tiffany explains, at questioning looks. "If they knew the pups were the same thing, they'd run."

The four watch the children for a while.

"Is that the Tablet?" Tiffany asks after a bit.

"Yes," Caithe agrees. "If the children want to see it, now's their chance."

Fiona appears near the children and speaks to them for a moment, before shattering as Mat and Ayla run over to them. Tiffany rolls her eyes at Fiona's antics. ' _You'd think I'd be able to tell her illusions apart from her by now, but noo..._ '

"So can you tells us what the table thing is?" Mat asks eagerly.

Tiffany has a hard time restraining her laughter. Fiona rolls her eyes at Tiffany.

"Ventari's Tablet," Caithe corrects gently. "Come here."

Caithe walks over to the large stone that is being held in the air by flowery vines.

"The words of the centaur Ventari are carved into this stone," Caithe tells the little group. "Sylvari society is based on these words."

"Ventari is a centaur?" Ayla asks apprehensively.

"Ventari was a peaceful centaur, one of the last," Trahearne replies gravely. "He sought to calm his kin, who had taken to being the bloodthirsty beasts waging war on the human nation today, but he did not succeed. When years passed and fewer and fewer listened to his teachings, he engraved them on this tablet and left it here, unaware that it would form the basis of our society."

"What are his... teachings?" Mat asks curiously.

"Live life well and fully, and waste nothing," Caithe recites from memory.

"But you weren't looking at it!" Ayla says in astonishment. "Do you have eyes in the back of your head?"

"No, I memorized it years ago. If I cannot remember them without looking, how can I live by them?" Caithe asks rhetorically.

"Oh," Ayla nods.

"Do not fear difficulty," Trahearne tells them. "Hard ground makes stronger roots. That is one of my favorite." *

Tiffany glances at him thoughtfully for a brief moment. ' _That makes sense._ ' Looking back at the Tablet, she struggles to read the flowing script. She can read New Krytan, the Tyrian writing system, but this tablet was written long ago, when writing styles were different. She can make out the words 'peace' and 'soul'. "The only lasting peace is the peace within your own soul," she recites slowly. "I like that one. What are the others?"

Fiona shoots Tiffany a startled look - 'you know the tenets!' the look said - but Tiffany raises her eyebrows imperceptibly. ' _We're humans, supposedly ignorant of sylvari in general. How would I explain my knowledge of the tenets?_ ' she doesn't say this out loud, of course. She doesn't notice the two sylvari's equally surprised looks at her, or the slight frown on Caithe's face that clears up speedily.

"All things have a right to grow. The blossom is brother to the weed," Caithe recites

Tiffany sees an odd expression on her face, one she can't read. ' _Right, Faolain. Faolain..._ ' she snaps out of her thoughts. She sees Fiona frowning at the Tablet, trying to decipher the flowery script.

"Never leave a wrong to ripen into evil or sorrow," Trahearne counters. Tiffany gets the slight impression that the two have spoken about Faolain and the tenets before.

"Act with wisdom, but act," Caithe fires back. Tiffany winces briefly. ' _That was low, Caithe, really low..._ ' but Trahearne seems unperturbed.

Fiona suddenly sighs and shakes her head. "Something about grass, mountains, and life," she announces.

Tiffany hastily stifles the giggle that almost bubbles up.

"From the smallest blade of grass to the largest mountain, where life goes - so, too, should you," Trahearne corrects her.

"So you were right, Fiona," Ayla observes. "Grass, mountains, and life."

"But she didn't get all of it," Mat counters with a smirk.

"She did her best," Ayla retorts.

"So? Didn't get it all," Mat challenges.

"Calm down, you two," Tiffany tells them. "It doesn't matter how well she got it when she didn't know it."

"That's what I'm saying," Ayla replies.

"But it shows she's not as good as she was trying to be," Mat says, thinking himself very clever.

' _They had to get into an argument?_ ' Tiffany wonders, shaking her head.

"You're being mean, you know," Ayla observes to Mat.

"He's cranky," Fiona announces. "He's been running around all day, and he's tired."

"Well of course you'd say that," Mat snarks at her. "I'm saying you're not as good as you thought you were."

Tiffany suddenly catches sight of Caithe, who'd frozen a few seconds into the argument. Tiffany goes over the argument again. ' _Oh dear. This argument could be perfectly applied to another situation Caithe is_ _very_ _familiar with... actually, let's see how it goes. I...hmm._ '

Fiona had been pulled into the argument while Tiffany was thinking, and now her and Mat are arguing heatedly, with Ayla trying to pacify them. ' _It's Zojja vs. Eir all over again,_ ' Tiffany thinks, shaking her head. ' _With Ayla playing Caithe here._ ' Tiffany glances at Caithe, who has the oddest expression on her face. ' _I suppose I'm playing me, then. Lead Destiny's Edge back together by example, hmm?_ '

Tiffany sighs. ' _Mat is playing Zojja in this. Let's see if I can use words that could apply to both situations, hey?_ ' she thinks, stealing another look at Caithe. "She did the best she could," she tells Mat, interrupting Ayla in the middle of a sentence. ' _This is just getting more and more symbolic,_ ' she thinks. ' _Ayla is playing Caithe, and both of them are failing at putting their groups back together. Wow._ ' "It's not her fault. She did the best she could. Is it your fault that you're not always accurate with your slingshot? From your logic so far, yes, it is your fault. You can't blame people for doing it wrong when they did their best. And she got it good, too. What was it, 'From the smallest blade of grass to the largest mountain, where life goes, so too should you'? Grass, mountains, and life are the central themes of that. You could easily reconstruct the sentence with just those words and what we knew before Trahearne told us! And tell me, all of you. Why are we arguing about this? It's inconsequential! It means nothing! Mat, I know you're upset and tired. Fiona, I know you're upset about being accused of meaningless things. I... we should probably just go home if you're this cranky."

All three blink at her, and Caithe turns to regard her thoughtfully. Tiffany sighs again. "I'm sorry, Caithe, Trahearne. We should leave if they're going to behave like this."

"But the Grove is too pretty to go home!" Mat protests.

"Maybe we can come back another time," Tiffany shrugs at him. "You're the one being cranky."

"We don't mind, Tiffany," Trahearne replies. "I don't think you could see the whole Grove in a day if you tried."

"Especially when it's so pretty we have to stop and look around all the time!" Ayla pipes up. "We can come back tomorrow."

"I think you have school tomorrow," Tiffany tells Ayla, stepping over and scooping her up in her arms. She stares at Ayla for a brief moment, before switching her gaze to Fiona. She turns back to the sylvari watching them. "Maybe we'll come back in a few days. Perhaps we'll see you then."

"I am staying in the Grove for a week, before I head back to Orr," Trahearne tells them. "If you return in that time, come find me."

"That'll be hard," Ayla remarks from Tiffany's arms. "Sylvari blend in with the Grove, plus the Grove is rather big."

"We'll manage," Fiona laughs, taking Mat's hand. "Good-bye."

The four vanish in a puff of blue.

"That was... odd." Trahearne remarks after a moment.

"Certainly," Caithe agrees absently.

* * *

At Shaemoor waypoint, the four exit slowly, one by one. The waypoint, in order to prevent people crashing into each other, would delay the appearance of each person until nobody was standing beneath it, in order of who had waypointed first.

"How about you go tell your parents about your day at the Grove?" Tiffany encourages. Ayla runs excitedly towards the Sartini house, with Mat following just a tad slower behind her.

Tiffany turns to Fiona with wide eyes. "Ayla is so light!" she exclaims.

Fiona flips the palms of her hands upwards briefly, with her mouth open. "What are you talking about?"

"When I picked her up. She is so much lighter than Vinn - "

" _Obviously_ ," Fiona rolls her eyes in an exxagerated motion. "Vinn's heavier than anyone."

"She was lighter than Laura," Tiffany says in surprise, shaking her head.

"Lighter than _Laura_?" Fiona gasps.

"Well, maybe not _that_ light. But still."

"I see."

"Now, what was all that arguing with Mat over?" Tiffany asks, starting towards Divinity's Reach.

"I was setting the scene for you," Fiona replies, blinking. "You told me about Destiny's Edge's internal conflicts, and how Caithe was trying to resolve them and couldn't, and you stepped in and succeeded. I saw the opening and went for it. And from Caithe's expression, we got her good."

Tiffany stares at Fiona. "You're good at this!"

"I know I am. But don't expect me to do it all the time." Fiona falls in step beside Tiffany.

"I don't see what it could accomplish, though," Tiffany says, frowning. "From her perspective, all we did was reenact the argument, only this time with an effective mediator."

"Based on Logan's reactions - you couldn't _possibly_ have known about Destiny's Edge, and therefore it was an accident - if Caithe reacts the same way, what she'll see is you being an effective mediator, albeit with a cranky child than a grief-driven, fiery-tempered, and cunningly mean asura." Fiona pauses. "Which, thinking about it, is hardly a comparative achievment."

"I did use words that could be easily reapplied to the situation. Or, I tried to. Didn't work right, but the ideas were the same. 'she did the best she could, not her fault, is it your fault when you can't do X, etcetera, etcetera.'" Tiffany ponders. "And she definitely put the two arguments together."

"Why were you acting like you didn't know the things on the Tablet?" Fiona asks.

"Because I'm a human who's never been in the Grove before. I could hardly memorize them without being there, you know. Would've been highly suspicious of me."

"What about the other guy, Glas, you helped with the tenets?"

"He didn't know anything about me, and couldn't tell whether I'd been here before or not. He's a sapling, anyway - he wouldn't know that humans don't generally know the tenets."

"I see."

"Tonight, we'll start compiling that contact list for the Order."

"Got it," Fiona replies.

"What if I wrote a fanfiction that added the Order of the Stick and the Order of the Phoenix to Tyria? Phoenix is like a miniature Whispers, though, it wouldn't do much. However, the OotS? They're like... they're like a collection of recruits, novices, and initiates grouped together. I don't suppose that'd do much. Aside from strike teams, I suppose..."

Fiona rolls her eyes and tunes her out.

* * *

 _Author's Notes:_

Yes, the contact list will still be contained in the story, don't worry. Next chapter, though, next chapter. This one's long enough, and you don't want any more delays, do you? Didn't think so. :D


	10. Chapter 10: Bad Ice

SOLDIERS, SCHOLARS, AND SPIES

* * *

Summary: Tiffany and Fiona write down their contacts list. The next morning, Tiffany is feeling sick, so Fiona strikes out on her own to do some exploring, and to find Falooaloo. And makes five acquaintances and meets two Whispers Agents.

* * *

Chapter ten: Bad Ice

* * *

 _Author's Notes:_

Alright, this chapter'll contain the contacts list. Not the full version, because that would take up too much space, but enough to give you a taste of what the whole thing looks like. It'll contain all the ones mentioned, anyway.

To Guest reviewer on chapter 6 of Book One: _Tyria's Real!?_ : Yes, they do have memories from an alternate past, which is where they got the memories from. However, it is not the sort of 'memory dump' you normally would see in such fanfics, where they are overloaded with new memories. They're more natural memories, and the girls only realize they're _there_ when they need them. For example, you might know you went to Disney World in your past, but would you necessarily think about it just because you got pulled into a new place? No, you'd only think about it when you were talking about it. I should go back and clarify that a bit...Since you reviewed on chapter six as a Guest (meaning you didnt log in) I can't reply to you directly, and I don't know which chapter you're on now. If you log in I can PM you when I first see your message, rather than you needing to wait until you get to this chapter to get the reply. Thanks for reviewing, it means a lot to me!

 _ **Okay, here's the story now:**_

* * *

"Ohhkaaay," Tiffany groans, stretching after a long period of sitting in her chair talking over the day with Fiona. "Let's get that contact list going. And you're not just rattling off a list of the people you know. This has to have some sort of format, and since it's not on a computer, we need to decide on that first so we don't rewrite it a million times and wear out our fingers."

"Fine," Fiona grumbles. "How'll we do it?"

"How will we sort it, first of all?" Tiffany asks. "The people we know the best first, or alphabetically - " Fiona groans loudly - "or by something else?"

"Who we know best first," Fiona says hurriedly. "We can't sort alphabetically to save our lives."

"Okay, that's down. And next to it, how well we know the person - by your name I would put 'sibling'? Or how about 'battle partner'?"

"'Battle partner' works," Fiona agrees. "And it conveys the fact we want to work together at least most of the time."

"They'll probably have their own agenda on that, but sure. It'll probably include a test to see how well we do without each other, but I'll manage."

"So will I. I mean, it's not like we communicate via Shilgni in battle very often." Fiona rolls her eyes.

"We don't control it, and we're letting them know our preferences." Tiffany says firmly. Fiona nods reluctantly. "And next to that? The length of time we've known each other?"

"They only told us to put who we know and how well we know them."

"Yeah, you're right. More information... well... it's the Order of Whispers. I think the less they know about us, the better. Especially if... **especially if our secret is discovered.** "

" **Right.** " Fiona agrees. "So, names and how well we know them?"

"Yep. We'll have separate lists, because I know people you don't, and vice versa."

Tiffany gets to work creating a table of the people she knows. "Oh, Fiona? How do we put down Deborah, Petra, and Andrew? If we say 'Deborah Tassof - sister' they'll know our real last name. Remember we said Smith?"

"Hm. Let's... let's not put them on at all. There's no reason for them to know about them."

"Okay. But only because of last name conflict. We'll put everyone else on."

"Fiona, we went to all that trouble to not let them know we were from the Vigil or Priory, and we'll have to put those people on the list!" Tiffany says, frowning.

"Oh well. Like you said earlier, I wouldn't be surprised if they already have agents there."

"Okaay," Tiffany replies doubtfully. "Hey, should I put Beorn on?"

"Naw," Fiona says. "They know Beorn is your animal companion. If their powers of observation don't go that far, we won't inform them."

"Fiona, how do you put Caithe down as?"

"I don't know," Fiona responds, frowning at her paper.

"I put her down as 'acquaintance' - or do you think we know her better by now? I'll put the rest of Destiny's Edge as... something fitting for how we've only seen them once and not really spoken to them. But Caithe..."

"Acquaintance seems to fit... but not really..."

"I know. 'acquaintance plus' maybe?"

Fiona snorts. "Naw. How about 'tentative friend'?"

Tiffany bangs her hand on the table. "Perfect! That also conveys that we mean to get to know her better." then she grimaces. "I suppose we'll put Trahearne down the same way."

"I _suppose_ so," Fiona jests back at her. "I know it's crazy odd, but you'll have to. I wonder if they ever make you update the thing? Well, probably after the Pact they'll have everyone update, because there's so many more people."

"Oh, alright," Tiffany grumbles.

"I'm putting down the Order representatives we had to deal with, Fiona. But I don't know their last names. I only know 'Crusader Hiroki' or 'Agent Ihan'."

"Well, put them down as that," Fiona frowns. "It's all we've got."

"Okay. And acqaintance level?"

"'Temporary... temporary something."

"That makes sense. Temporary... temporary acquaintance?"

"That'll work, but it doesn't click. Temporary ally doesn't work, either. Ahh, put down temporary acquaintance."

"I'm adding their Order to their identifier - so Vigil Crusader, rather than just Crusader."

"Good idea. Where should we put Queen Jennah?"

"We've only seen her once, but then she put a magnitude of trust in us based on the report from Logan," Tiffany replies with a puzzled frown. "Should we put her as 'passing acqaintance, comma, ruler'? Or 'ruler, comma, passing acquaintance'?"

"I like that last one."

"'Kay. I'll make it just 'acquaintance', though."

"I'm switching 'ruler' for 'queen', and putting a question mark in parentheses after acquaintance."

Fiona nods absently.

"What should I put down the rest of Destiny's Edge as? Mutual friendship makes it seem like we know each other well, rather than we both know another person well."

Fiona pauses thoughtfully. "We have to make sure we don't confuse how well we know them with how well they know us."

"Right. We weren't introduced to most of them - only Caithe. The rest of them were focused on their rivalries. I'm sure they noticed we were with Logan, though. I mean, we're two humans. Rytlock probably won't like us for that, and Zojja and Eir probably didn't notice because they arrived almost at the same time. So they don't really know us - although if we spoke to them I think they'd remember us - but right now, how would we classify them?"

"Well... they have no idea who we are. We were never even introduced to them. I think we should leave them off the list entirely, at least for now."

"Okay."

Tiffany and Fiona keep writing for a long time, occasionally trading comments on what words to use for certain people, and wondering how in-depth they wanted - every brief conversation, or...?

"Alright," says Fiona when they are done. "One last modification - do we put in Tangwen and Falcon and...?"

"No," Tiffany says, shaking her head. "I'm certain Whispers people could pick apart our flimsy excuse - friends from Ebonhawke - much better than everyone else can. There's probably Whispers people in Ebonhawke who could find out, for one thing. And did you notice that there's no more PCs besides them?"

"I did."

"And I am _not_ explaining that it all used to be game to the Order - ah, nnno."

"I know, right?" Fiona says, nodding vehemently.

"So, is it done?"

"I think so," Fiona replies, runing an eye over hers critically. The only difference between hers and Tiffany's is the switching around of a couple names - like Mat and Ayla - and her 'mentor' is Sieran, not Forgal. And the 'ally' of 'temporary acqaintance, ally' is on Josir's description, rather than Hiroki's. Both girls have the leader of their Order - Gixx and Almorra, respectively - somewhere in the list.

"Nothing to add, I think," Fiona says, stretching. "We can take these in in the morning. And this time, let's bring our other Order identifiers - I'm sure there's a reason you were still carrying that letter around when we were speaking about it earlier." she teases.

"I could say the same for you," Tiffany fires back with no hesitation.

"Whatever." Fiona snorts.

"Can we _not_ get into this?" Tiffany groans. "I'm cranky and tired."

"Cranky and tired, cranky and tired, craankee and tyyerd," Fiona says in a sing-song voice.

"Persacktly. Now shut up and lemme sleep," Tiffany retorts, bouncing on to her bed. "We can bring in those lists... tomorrow, I guess. It's Wednesday, right?"

"Yes."

"So let's see if we can get all the tests done by Saturday. Or maybe we should delay just enough so we don't have a mission then. I doubt the Order would like it if we didn't want to go on the first-ever mission."

"Right. Sleepy-time then."

"That's what I said."

"'Night."

"'Night."

* * *

Tiffany looks across the room at Fiona in her bed, looking back at her. Tiffany groans loudly and flops back down on the pillow. Fiona lets out a long sigh.

"I'm feeling lethargic today," Tiffany says, her voice muffled by the pillow.

"What does lethargic mean?" Fiona asks in a tired voice.

Tiffany groans again. "It m _eans_ ," she grouches, "that I don't feel like doing anything. I want to sleep more."

"You've been getting plenty enough sleep," Fiona replies, her forehead furrowed. "Especially now we're in Tyria."

"I know! This hasn't happened in _ages!_ "

"Maybe you're getting sick?"

"Beorn?" Tiffany grumbles. "Go on, do your cure thing."

Beorn just looks at her.

"Can you heal my sickness, oh Beorn my friend?" Tiffany calls, trying to be dramatic, but failing miserably, as she is peering over the edge of her bed, and she said it in a tired voice.

Beorn roars at her, as if experimenting, and looks at her quizzically.

"Didn't work," she says to the ceiling. "I suppose if we were in-game it would say 'uncurable' on it. So I'm sick then?"

"I suppose we're both sick then," Fiona remarks. "Or maybe you caught it from Ayla when you picked her up yesterday."

"Well, from what I can tell, you're also lethargic,"

"Not much. Just normal morning sleepiness," Fiona reassures her.

"Oh. Then I suppose you'll be out and about doing something?" Tiffany asks. "Maybe you could assassinate the centaur leader. I wonder what would happen if the centaurs stopped attacking us."

"Probably, yes. I might go ask somebody at the Durmand Priory if they know where the quaggan village - "

"Falooaloo," Tiffany interrupts.

"where Falooaloo is."

"Honestly, it would be odd if I knew the location ahead of time," Tiffany says thoughtfully. "If I knew it and did nothing to - hey! The whole problem the quaggans had was that they didn't move sooner, and now they can't move their eggs. But if you find them, be sure and give them a heads-up."

"Will do," Fiona replies cheerily. "What'll you be doing?"

"Who knows. If the Priory can't help you find it, then just look for the place I described. Perhaps find a mountain with ritual stones at the top. With lots of jotun."

"I'll find it, Tiff. And if I don't, we know where not to look."

"Alright. Or, you _could_ go assassinate the centaur leader."

"Right, I could do that," Fiona says, rolling her eyes and leaving the room.

Fiona takes the asura gate to Lion's Arch, before leaving the city near the Durmand Priory. ' _Why the HQ is called 'the Durmand Priory' rather than, I don't know, 'Durmand's Hideout', I don't know. It's confusing having an organization and a place named the same thing._ '

Entering the Durmand Priory, Fiona approaches a norn who looks like he had been traveling recently.

"Excuse me, but do you happen to know of a quaggan village called... Falooaloo? I only know it's in the Shiverpeaks somewhere." She doesn't mention her reason for looking for it - she's Priory, and Priory are always looking for obscure things.

"There a lot of quaggan villages in the Shiverpeaks," the norn tells her. "In fact, I think roughly half of most quaggans are in the Shiverpeaks, and the rest are other places. But then, there is a lot to the Shiverpeaks."

"I know a little about the surrounding area," Fiona tells her. "I just need to go there."

"I don't know much about the quaggan," the norn tells her. "I've been studying jotun recently."

"Do you know of any mountain with jotun ritual stones at the top?" Fiona queries. "I know the village is near a place like that."

"No, I haven't seen anything like that. I might have something in my notes, though. Alternatively, I could just mark out known jotun locations on a map. There aren't many."

"That would be wonderful, thank you," Fiona smiles.

Nodding, the norn turns and strides across the open area the two had been standing at the edge of, crossing to a blank wall with an asura standing nearby. The two confer in low voices for a moment, before a map of the Shiverpeaks flickers into existence on the wall.

The norn gives directions to the asura, and several red dots and a green one appear on the map. The green one appears over what Fiona knows to be the Durmand Priory, giving her a point of reference. On the other side of the map, a red one appears at the edge of the Shiverpeaks, separated by a mountain range from the Black Citadel. Another appears about the middle of the map, southwest of Hoelbrak, and south of that, another. South and a little east from the green dot, another blinks into existence on this side of a mountain range. Far, far south, in territory that Fiona doesn't think the name Shiverpeak referrs to (being not white to indicate snow, nor mountainous) another dot pops up. And lastly, a dot just outside of Hoelbrak appears. The norn points out to her how, from Hoelbrak, it is not that far away.

Fiona nods and thanks him. "What about these two dots right next to each other?" she asks, indicating the two near each other in the middle.

"I know there's a team of Priory up there, but they aren't interested in the jotun. I think they're studying skritt."

Fiona wonders if she'll find her location as well as Tiffany's. "What's the fastest way to get there?"

"Well, I know there's a pass down here," he says, motioning much farther down the mountain range. "But you could probably get there much more quickly by going through Hoelbrak. See how there's a pass through there. But honestly, the asura gates unnerve me. No offense, Prek." he says aside to the asura controlling the map. "This one is close enough to walk to from here, but it's this one far south that's hard to get to. It's not really in the Shiverpeaks, though."

"I know it's in the Shiverpeaks somewhere. Really, if you include here and Hoelbrak, there's not too many places it's hard to get to in the Shiverpeaks."

"Why do you think Hoelbrak's in the middle?" he asks her jokingly.

Fiona shrugs. "Seems the best location anyway," she replies, looking at the map. "Is there any way I can preserve this map to look at later?"

"I can store it in the retrieval system," the asura - Prek - shrugs. "But it'll be accessible by anyone else who wants to look at it."

"That's fine," Fiona assures him.

Prek nods and turns to the control panel, pushing buttons here and there.

"Thank you for your help," she says to the norn. "I'm Fiona. What's your name?"

"Aki," he replies promptly. "Aki Ornsson. And," he says, as a pained look crosses his face. "Please don't call me 'Achy'. I can't stand it."

"I won't," Fiona replies seriously. "And don't make any plays on my surname Tassof - some people call me a toss-off."

"I can see how that might be offensive," Aki replies, nodding.

The two look at each other for a moment, before they both start laughing.

"They do call me achy though," Aki says after a minute. "It's more funny than offensive, though."

"I had a terrible time coming up with a way to do a play on my name," Fiona grins. "I'll have to do that more."

"Well, I have to report to the magister," Aki tells her, glancing at the sun. "And my name is spelled with an 'i', not a 'y'."

"There's an 'a' in Tassof," Fiona reminds him, laughing. "Go do your report, I'll look around the jotun settlements."

Aki waves and disappears around a corner.

Fiona turns and goes back to Lion's Arch, before taking the asura gate to Hoelbrak. Stepping out, Fiona is awed by the scale of things. Everything is so much bigger than she is used to! But then, she is used to human-scaled things, and norn might be a bit big in a human-sized city.

It is also cold. Fiona remembers that Tiffany will have to go underwater for her mission, and her resolve about getting the quaggans out of there before that is neccessary firms. Which means she has to find the jotun settlements.

Recalling the map, she sets out eastward, threading her way among the tall structures and ice statues of the norn. She passes by Trade Commons waypoint, and passes by a lodge dedicated to Wolf. Fiona wonders if she might find Eir somewhere in Hoelbrak, and decides to come back and see if she can find her, later.

Passing Easter Watchpost waypoint, there is a path leading east and just a bit north, which Fiona follows. It seems to go straight through the mountains, and Fiona wonders how everybody in Tyria accounts for the even crosshatching of out-of-place mountain ranges that separate the world into the zones that players encounter. She supposes there is some long-lost lore that even Tiffany can't have unrooted. ' _Of course, saying that there's a bit of lore Tiffany hasn't uprooted is like saying there's something the Pale Tree doesn't know about sylvari. Okay, maybe not that much, but still.'_ Fiona shakes her head to herself. Perhaps it's just the human tendency - ' _I really have to stop thinking like that_ ,' Fiona scolds herself. ' _I come from a world where the only really sentient life is human - I am no longer in that world. Tiffany stopped saying 'human' that way a long time ago, it's time I did as well. But what other word could I use? Humans were definitely not the first on Tyria, so even that excuse is out. Tiffany says 'people', but in this context that's a bit odd. 'just a people tendency'? Oh, I know! Sentient! Oh, dear. I'm getting to be as weird as Tiffany. Come to think of it, most of her weirdness had to do with Guild Wars, so she's not nearly as weird anymore, but still!_ ' - the tendency of sentient people to ignore things they believe can't be true at all. ' _What if earth was the game? Where do state- and country-lines originate from? Territory wars? That's just lore!_ ' Fiona giggles to herself at that. ' _Of course, I can believe much more outlandish things than most people can, having been told that a game is a real and experiencing it, but I still don't think earth can have been a game. Unless some Tyrian earth-lore fanatic sees me and remembers me from seeing me in the store or something...I doubt it. Or if, here, I see... I don't know, Christopher Columbus, and realize he was just playing earth. This is fun to think about, I'll have to tell Tiffany about this fun mental game. I mean, we play Guild Wars and the Commander is a really influential person in Tyria, if earth was a game then their character would have been really influential, too, right? It just makes sense. And maybe the game would be called 'World Wars'... now I'm really being weird. It's probably not a direct parallel... only maybe it is. Oh well. Look what happens when you turn a person's life upside down like this! They'll start believing insane things!'_

Shaking her head, Fiona emerges from the mountain pass into an area that seems to be a trading post area for travelers, but designed for large crowds, giving the impression that it is mostly empty.

Fiona frowns. She feels like she should know this place. Casting an illusion over herself to make her look different - but still human - she asks a nearby norn about it.

"Oh, the Great Hunt is celebrated here!" the norn replies in surprise. "Why, everyone - oh, but you aren't norn. It took ten youngsters to kill Issormir, earlier in the year."

"I see," Fiona says after a moment, trying to play the bored but polite traveler. ' _Doesn't the player character kill Issormir? Oh wait... me and Tiffany are the player characters... and we aren't norn. But there can't be a Hero of Shaemoor_ and _a Slayer of Issormir_ and _a Snaff Savant_ and _a Valiant_ and _a... whatever charr characters title is when they start out. So it's just me and Tiffany, the Heros of Shaemoor. Nice to know._ ' "What is the name of this waypoint?"

"Horncall," she replies promptly.

"Thank you," Fiona replies. She espies a path heading north, and saying a polite good-bye to the norn woman who helped her, goes on her way.

After a while the path curves east, but that is because of a rocky formation to the north. Fiona decides to abandon the path and simply go around that.

As she approaches the place marked on the map, she realizes that she remembers this place. This is where one of the personal storyline chapters took place, battling jotun. And there's no water or quaggans anywhere around. It's certainly not a mountain with ritual stones on top.

Fiona sighs and waypoints back to Eastern Watchpost waypoint in Hoelbrak, and heads back east towards the asura gate, this time along an alternate route.

Near Southern Watchpost waypoint, she happens to glance south and see another pass. The two jotun settlements with Priory nearby are south of Hoelbrak, she remembers, and heads that way.

After coming through the pass, she sees a house, and decides to ask if they know of any quaggan villages, or someone who might, if they don't.

Approaching the steading, she sees a small family scattered around the yard. ' _Well, small in my experience,_ ' she laughs to herself.

A small boy near her sighs.

"Anything the matter?" Fiona asks kindly. "What's your name?"

"Oh, hi. I'm Jentje," the boy replies.

"I'm Fiona. What's the matter?"

"My pa's sister, Myr, is lonely. She wants a mate, but she can't find the right one. Right now she's courting a Sons of Svanir sympatahizer."

"He doesn't sound nice?" Fiona asks, making it a question.

"Oh, no. Not at all. He just drinks and eats and doesn't do anything. And he's loud and mean, and orders me around. And if I don't listen he hits me. I don't know what Myr sees in him, but he also takes care about pleasing her. Doesn't work much, though."

"Can't she find someone else?"

"She's strong and legendary, so she should be able to, but it never seems to work out. She wants a child, but she can't until she finds a suitable mate. I - "

"Jentje! Come here!" calls a loud, rough voice from inside the home.

Jentje instantly sprints inside.

An older man nearby huffs in the direction of the house, and mutters inaudibly under his breath.

Fiona approaches him and asks, "Do you know where a quaggan village by the name of Falooaloo is located?"

"No - don't they live in water?" he asks.

"Yes. This one has a mountain nearby, though, with jotun ritual stones at the top."

"I don't know anything about jotun ritual stones or quaggan anywhere around here," the man says gruffly. "But Cydwenn over at Skovtrolde hearthstead might know more. She seems to know a lot that she doesn't seem like she would know."

"Where is... Skovtrolde hearthstead?"

"Just over the road there, on that hill." the man points. "They shou - "

"Hey, Brandulf! You're out of ale," comes a shout from inside the steading.

"Good-bye," Fiona tells the distracted norn, before leaving.

She follows Brandulf's instructions, and comes presently to Skovtrolde homestead. There are several children around, and not just norn. Fiona sees a charr and a skritt, as well. A sylvari is standing by, watching them.

"Welcome to Skovtrolde. What brings you out here?" she asks. "I'm Cydwenn."

Fiona repeats her earlier question to Brandulf.

"I don't know of any quaggan village," Cydwenn replies slowly. "But Disa might."

"Who's Disa?"

"She's a norn girl over at Travelen's steading. She comes over all the time to play. She's friends with Lietta and Ghreon. Alternatively, you could go to Bergtrolde, where I know there's a Priory explorer studying jotun, but Disa sometimes mentions the lake near their house, and I know quaggan live in water."

"Thanks for your help," Fiona says sincerely. "I'll - "

"You play with me, yes?" asks a skritt that had just run up to Fiona. "Play? We play games, and tell stories, and then eat!"

"I..." Fiona says, at a loss for words. "I'm kind of busy right now. Maybe later?"

"That's too bad, too bad. We play next time, yes. Make promise next time, playtime!"

Fiona allows herself a laugh. "Sure. I might come back later. What's your name?"

The skritt tries to say his name, but Fiona can't understand.

"Chikikich?" Fiona tries, making an odd sound in the back of her throat.

He huffs, and says it slower. "Quicky-rittick."

"Qiqqi'rittiq," Cydwenn says.

"Well, good-bye, Quicky-rittick," Fiona says. "I might be by later to play."

"Good, good! Yes-yes," Quiqqi'rittiq says, before scampering off to play with a norn girl.

"I'll be going, then," Fiona says to Cydwenn.

"Put me on your contacts list as recommendation," Cydwenn tells her softly.

Fiona stares at Cydwenn. "What?"

"You're trying to join the Order, aren't you?" Cydwenn asks. "Put me on your contacts list as 'recommended'."

"How do you know that?" Fiona asks.

"Quiet!" Cydwenn hisses. "It's the Order of Whispers, surely you know what you were getting into?"

"But still - "

"Just put me on the list. They'll know what 'Cydwenn - recommended' means."

"And if they don't? If this is a trick?" Fiona asks shrewdly. "Don't you have to give some sort of code so I know you're Whispers?"

"You don't know the code yet, you haven't been initiated," Cydwenn huffs. "But if you really need proof," she brings out a token that bears the Whispers symbol on it. On the other side it is embossed with a stylized 'IA'. "That stands for 'Information Agent'," Cydwenn says irritably.

"Okay, okay, I'll do it. Should Tiffany do the same?"

"Who's Tiffany," Cydwenn sighs.

"My sister. We're both trying to join the Order."

"Fine - now go. I'll know if you don't," she warns.

Fiona hurries away from the area quickly, and is still wondering about Cydwenn by the time she gets to Travelen's steading.

* * *

Travelen's steading is a cheery and homey place, and Fiona can't help smiling.

A norn approaches her and offers a mug of ale to her.

"No, thank you," Fiona declines. "Do you know where a quaggan village named Falooaloo is?"

"If you want to know about the quaggan, talk to Disa." the brewer tells her. Then, lowering his voice, he adds, "if you have any questions about the Order, I can answer."

Fiona groans softly. "I have one question - how do random people keep knowing I'm trying to join the Order?"

"It's a specific glow. See, I can tell you're in the process of initiation because of the sort of aura it is. It's temporary, in case you don't pass initiation."

"Meaning it's permanent once I've fully joined?" Fiona asks.

"Oh, no. It might be bad for undercover missions where others - not in the Order - can detect it. Once you've joined, you can turn it off at will. Some members like spooking the newcomers with knowing them by their aura, and not telling them. I'm guessing Cydwenn did that to you?"

"How'd you know Cydwenn?"

"I send Disa over all the time with coded messages to her. Also, most steadings keep tags on the nearest other steadings, in case of emergency."

"I see. How does this aura work?"

"That secret's reserved for the initiators. The ones who test you. However, some of the more ambitious members - mostly asura - will take apart their aura-detector and figure out how it works, which generally provides clues as to what the aura is that they're detecting."

"That makes sense. Although, it might help to use that sort of thing to mark targets on a mission, or suspects for something or other."

"You'll go far in the Order of Whispers, friend, mark my words," the norn says admiringly. "You've got a head on your shoulders, young 'un."

"Thank you for the compliment. Cydwenn told me to put her on my list of contacts as 'recommended'. Is it a trick, or...?"

"No, no. It's common practice that if a prospective member of the Order meets an agent, if the agent tells them to put them down that way - as recommended - they should, and it'll help. Shows how receptive you are to instruction, and they'll contact the person after to see how you acted. There's not too many initiates, and the Order likes making sure of it's members."

"I understand. Now, if you don't mind, I need to talk to - Disa, you said?"

"Is it a Whispers mission?"

"No, it's for my sister Tiffany. She's trying to join, as well."

"Well, good luck. Both of you can put me down as recommended, too."

"Thank you."

Fiona turns away from the norn, pondering his words. It matches up with Cydwenn's behaviour, so Fiona decides she can trust him - tentatively, of course.

"Are you Disa?" she asks a norn girl near the entrance to the homestead.

"Yes. Are you here about the quaggans?"

"Have you been talking with the guy who offered me ale?" Fiona asks, playfully stern.

"I'm friends with him," Disa replies. "And yes. I know several quaggan from Falooaloo."

"I've always said it Falooaloo," Fiona replies. ' _She said 'FAH-loo AH-loo'_ ' Fiona thinks. ' _Whereas I always say 'FA-loo-a-loo.'_ '

"Well, I only know the name from the quaggans who live there," Disa shrugs. "They always say it like that. How do you know the name?"

"I heard it from my sister, who read it somewhere," Fiona replies. ' _I'm sure Tiffany got it from the quaggans, too. But she also read it, probably._ '

"Oh. Well, I can take you there, if you like. It's not far."

"That would be nice," Fiona replies happily.

"It's lunch time, though," Disa says thoughtfully. "Would you like to have some before we go?"

Fiona blinks, and realizes she hasn't had anything to eat in hours, and traveling by foot in the Shiverpeaks is conductive to hunger. "If you don't mind," she replies.

"Dad sells ale," Disa shrugs. "It's rather odd to have ale without any food, plus many of them get drunk and have to stay the night. We're used to feeding unexpected guests. Come with me."

Disa leads the way back into the lodge and explains the situation to her mother. Disa's mother agrees with her, and invites Fiona in to a meal. She declines payment afterward, but Fiona leaves a couple silver on the table anyway.

"I'm ready," she tells Disa.

"Wait just a minute," Disa tells her, before running into a back room of the lodge. She comes out a minute later with a heavy coat on. "Alright," Disa says. "Follow me."

She marches out into the snow toward the waypoint. "This waypoint is named after Dad," Disa giggles. "Our steading is the only thing of interest around here, so it's Travelen's waypoint. I always call it Dad's waypoint, though."

"As long as you're referring to the same person, I don't think anybody minds," Fiona assures her.

Disa turns west, going around a peninsula of rock, like the mountain's arm. Her path winds around other like stone formations, like tiered cliffs, to the bottom of a ravine that a lake seems to have seeped into.

Heading north along the edge of the frozen lake - Fiona shudders at the thought that Tiffany has to go in, it's cold enough already - Disa chatters to Fiona about mundane things. She points left and upwards (west), saying that up there is a Snow Leopard shrine, before going off on how wonderful the Spirit of Snow Leopard is. Fiona keeps silent and lets her talk.

"Alright, we're here," Disa announces at the head of the lake. "It's normally not iced over here, but occasionally it is, and I need to get somebody to help me break it open. But it's okay now."

And she dives into the lake. Fiona stares at the hole in the ice. A minute later, Disa's wet head pops up again. "Well, aren't you coming?"

"Isn't it cold?"

"Not really."

"I know from experience that outdoors water is generally colder than the air around it, and out here is quite cold."

"Do you have an aquabreather?" Disa queries.

"Yes."

"It's designed to generate heat and keep you warm, unless you're using a very outdated version."

"Oh."

"You can't test it by just sticking a toe in, either," Disa instructs. "The aquabreather only functions when you're also depending on it to breathe. If you don't want to get cold, just jump in all at once."

"Okay," Fiona replies dubiously, but puts on her aquabreather, takes a deep breath (to ready herself for the brief cold, not because she needs to breath) and jumps in.

Instantly, she is freezing cold. She turns around and swims back to the hole, only to find Disa blocking it, shaking her head. Fiona curls up in the middle of the water and tries to warm herself.

Rather quickly, she gets used to the frigid water.

"Alright now?" Disa asks.

"What did you do that for?" Fiona asks half-angrily.

"You wanted to come see the quaggans of Falooaloo. There is no way to get used to the water in anything like a timely way without getting you in all at once."

"I get in all at once anyway," Fiona replies, remembering going swimming in chilly water. "You could have at least told me."

"Nobody evers gets in this water thinking they'll be alright. If you thought you were going in unprotected, would you have, even all at once?"

"Well... no...," Fiona admits.

"This is the typical procedure for introducing newcomers to Shiverpeaks swimming. I suggest you use it as well, or you'll be stuck convincing an unconvincable friend that it'll be alright."

"Tiffany would kill me if I did that," Fiona replies dryly.

"Figure it out. Bor said you were smart." Disa shrugs. "Oh, hi, Orinoo," she says, turning to a quaggan that had just approached them. "Fiona wanted to visit Falooaloo."

"Helloo, Fiona."

"Hello, Orinoo," Fiona replies, thinking frantically for a reason to have been asking for Falooaloo. ' _I'm Priory, that should cut it... but Disa knows I've been talking with Bor, and if she knows I'm Priory and it gets back to him, it'll get back to the Order, and - but they'll know anyway, what with the contacts list. Oh well.'_ "I was interested in knowing how quaggans eggs grow and stuff."

"Ooo, quaggans have lots of eggs," Orinoo replies. "Let quaggan show you."

"Where is Oola?" Disa asks.

"She is out hunting," Orinoo replies, getting quiet.

"Hunting?" Disa asks, eyes wide. "B-but the hunters haven't always been coming back."

"We need food," Orinoo replies sadly. "Quaggan does not know if Oola will return."

"I'll find her," Disa says stoutly. "Which way did she go?"

"Southeast, up the mountain."

"Thanks, Orinoo," Disa says, before swimming back up out of the hole.

If Fiona had ever played the quaggan mission, she would have known that Disa would likely not come back. But she never had played the quaggan mission, and does not know about the 'bad ice'.

"Orinoo, why are the hunters not always coming back?"

"Varonos Narrijoo thinks it is the bad ice," Orinoo says. "It has made the lake cold, unable to support any fish. Quaggans have been needing to hunt on land. Quaggan thinks that soon, the lake will not be able to support quaggans, either. But quaggans cannot move, or there will be no more eggs, and Falooaloo village will die."

"But you moved before, right?" Fiona asks.

"Yes. But quaggans did not have eggs, then. Quaggans waited until the eggs were ready, to move."

"When will the current eggs be ready?"

"In little more than a week," Orinoo replies. "Quaggan hopes it does not get too bad before then."

"Tell me about the eggs," Fiona prompts.

"Quaggan will show you. Quaggan does hope Disa will be alright." Orinoo starts swimming toward the quaggan village.

Orinoo enters a hovering pod, with lots and lots of little spherical eggs on the floor, some blue and some pink, and all glowing - not very brightly, but glowing still.

"When quaggans lay eggs, they are flat and glowing," Orinoo tells Fiona quietly. "Quaggans keep them separated by color in baskets. After a while, they start glowing brighter and getting rounder. When they are all round, quaggans take them out and put them on the floor, like this. Then we mix up the colors. They keep on glowing more and more brightly until they hatch. The hatchlings can swim a very short time later."

"Why do you keep them organized by color if you mix them up later?" Fiona asks.

"The colors say which ones are male or female," Orinoo replies. "The pink ones are female, but they turn blue by the time they grow up after hatching. If a pink egg gets mixed in with the blue ones, it makes the female more male in nature. And the same if a blue egg gets mixed with the pink ones. We disorganize them when they get circle shape because their nature has already been developed, and it is better for the eggs to mix with the other colors. The ones that stay with their color type are generally more shy around the others, and less adjusted to changes. Quaggans take care the mix them up more every so often, so that they are near all sorts of different personalities, which is good for them. It has been getting harder to do since quaggans keep moving, because we are busy all the time."

"That is fascinating," Fiona says, proving her Priory tendencies. "Are these all the eggs of Falooaloo?"

"Yes. All the quaggans help to take care of them until they hatch."

A quaggan that seems to be wearing a headress enters the pod. "Orinoo, who is this?"

"Disa brought her, Varonos Narrijoo. She wanted to visit Falooaloo. I was telling her about quaggan's eggs."

Fiona notes with some amusement that Orinoo didn't mention Fiona's name.

"Why are you here, visitor?" Varonos Narrijoo asks Fiona.

"I am a member of the Priory, Varonos Narrijoo," Fiona replies. "I'm interested in quaggans and how the eggs grow. And now I'm interested in why you keep moving south."

Narrijoo sighs. "The bad ice keeps growing and coming south, and quaggans keep going even more south to get away. But the bad ice always follows. And now quaggans have eggs, and we cannot move. I do not know what to do."

Fiona thinks fast. _'It is unlikely that the Vigil would wait until the last minute to send help to a quaggan village. Varonos Narrijoo must not have asked for help yet, and in the original, never did until almost too late._ ' "Why don't you ask for help from one of the Orders?" she suggests. "I know that the Vigil, for one, would be happy to help. They can at least investigate your gatherers' disappearing."

"That is a good suggestion," Narrijoo replies. "Quaggan will think about it. Is there anything else you would like to know about Falooaloo?"

"Why can't you move your eggs?"

"They are delicate," Narrijoo replies. "If we move them, the tadpoles inside will think it is time to hatch, and if it is too early, they will die. Especially with the water getting colder."

"Oh," Fiona replies, looking at the eggs. "If you don't mind, I can accompany your next gathering group and try to ensure their success. I'm rather good at protecting people."

"Quaggan doesn't mind," Narrijoo answers. "But aren't you a little young to be fighting, even for a norn? You're only Disa's size."

"I'm not a norn," Fiona answers, looking up at Narrijoo, who is floating above her in the water. "I'm a human, and we tend to be smaller than norn. I'm fully grown. But I might not even need to fight - I can create illusions to make it look like anybody I like isn't there. See?" Fiona weaves her illusions around Orinoo, causing him to vanish.

"You are a mesmer, then?" Narrijoo asks, as Fiona undoes the stealth surrounding Orinoo.

"Yes. But I am also proficient with my weapon, if it is needed," Fiona replies.

"You may go with the next gathering group. Orinoo, has Oola returned?"

"I don't think so, but Disa went after her," Orinoo answers sadly. "I will go and check." Orinoo swims out of the pod. A minute later she returns, reporting no sign of Oola.

"Go and get together another group. Tell them that this adventurer will help them. What is your name, traveler?"

"I am Fiona, Varonos Narrijoo."

"I will tell them," Orinoo replies, leaving the pod again.

"Is 'Varonos' part of your name?" Fiona asks.

"No. It is the title given to the leader of a quaggan village, or 'pod'."

"I see," Fiona replies. "I don't know much about quaggan yet."

"That is common. Disa did not know, either, when she first came," Narrijoo replies. "Very few who are not part of the village a varonos leads use the title, unless it is one varonos to another."

"The group of gatherers is assembled, Varonos Narrijoo," Orinoo says, entering the pod. "They are waiting on the shore."

"Goodbye, Varonos Narrijoo," Fiona says, before leaving the pod. Orinoo leads the way back up the hole Fiona entered by.

Fiona crawls out of the hole and instantly dives back in, shivering. Cold air on wet skin is even colder than freezing water. She tries again, this time activating her healing signet at the same time as leaving the water. It helps, and then she creates an illusion of warmth around her. It doesn't work so well, as it is belief-generated, and she is too cold to believe in warmth at the moment. But it helps.

"Lead the way," she tells the group of quaggan cheerfully.

A quaggan with what seems like a lesser version of Narrijoo's headress (which Fiona now knows to denote a varonos) is at the head of the party.

"Quaggans are ready," she says, and starts east. The rest of the quaggans follow after her, with Fiona and her illusions at the four compass points around the group.

Heading southeast, the group of quaggans stays close together, foraging what plantlife is around. Fiona keeps a sharp eye out for Sons of Svanir, Icebrood, and jotun, all of which she had encountered in number since arriving in the Shiverpeaks earlier in the day.

Behind her, one of her illusions registers movement. Fiona quickly spins around, searching for a threat, and sees several Icebrood approaching the group. Instantly, Fiona generates several more illusions, each taking care to have their weapons in plain sight. This does not deter the Icebrood. ' _Dragon minions are generally mindless,_ ' Fiona recalls.

Remembering that quaggan are a peaceful folk, and afraid of violence, she erects a screen between her and the quaggans. Most of the illusions drop, leaving her with a trusted amount of three (a number she knows she can handle well in a fight, as well as being the max amount allowed in-game).

Her and the illusions quickly decimate the Icebrood. When Fiona drops the screen, the quaggans stare at her.

"I know you are a peaceful people," Fiona explains. "I had an illusory wall greatly distorting what was happening."

"Coo! Quaggan admires your thoughtfulness," the lead quaggan tells her.

"...no problem," Fiona replies after an awkward moment of silence - ' _How does one reply to such a thing?_ ' "Carry on."

That is the one rough spot for the rest of the gathering time. Sons of Svanir approach occasionally, but Fiona's threatening illusions scare them off easily.

* * *

The leader of the gathering team - Shashoo, Fiona learns - decides to lengthen the trip, as Fiona's aid is not guaranteed in the future.

When the quaggans' gathering baskets are full, in late afternoon, Shashoo directs a return. Fiona, having learned by this time that quaggans are quite slow on land, generates a lot of snow sleds (previously unheard of in Tyria) for them to ride on down the mountain.

Shashoo decides to try it out (she seems more adventurous than the rest, Fiona notes), and the rest of the quaggans' follow her lead. Fiona has to hop on her own snow sled to keep up with them.

Near the bottom of the mountain, Fiona sees another group of quaggans running (and failing miserably) away from six Sons of Svanir. She stops the sleds and charges the rest of the way down the hill, five illusions behind her, killing the norn.

"Oona!" cries one quaggan. "Oona!"

"What's the matter?" Fiona asks.

"Oona is hurt," the quaggan cries motioning to the prone form of another quaggan by her side. "Boo. She is dying."

"Where is she hurt?"

"One of the Sons of Svanir - foo on them! Boo on them! - hit her with his sword. See? She is hurt here, along her side. She can't breathe without it hurting a lot."

Fiona investigates the wound carefully. "I don't know if I can help. I don't know much about healing," she says seriously. "This is all I can do." She slips her healing signet ring off her finger and presses it into the wound. Oona cries out in pain. Fiona grimaces and activates the signet, slowly bring it out of the wound. Fiona has never done this before, and hopes it works.

It kind of works. The wound heals partway. Oona breathes easier. Fiona holds the signet ring close, trying to gauge the remainder of it's power. She repeats the healing procedure again, and again. Noting the almost non-existent power of the signet, she tries again. It doesn't do much. The wound is still deep, and perhaps fatal. But the cut no longer penetrates Oona's lung.

"I've done all I can," she tells the quaggan. "Will she be okay?"

"Perhaps, if we can get her to Falooaloo," the quaggan replies. "If we can't get her to Falooaloo, she will die."

"I'll carry her," Fiona tells the quaggan. "I'll be gentle, and if my signet ring regains any of it's power, I'll try to heal her some more."

"Thank you, thank you!" the quaggan cries.

"Calm down, you need to get home," Fiona instructs.

She mentally generates the snow sleds again, adding rudders and steering devices. "Can you get home on your own?" she asks a shocked Shashoo.

Shashoo nods mutely, and the quaggans who already rode on the snow sleds eagerly hop back on, the others following slowly.

Fiona picks up Oona, wishing there was a way to put her to sleep or at least numb the pain. She had used meditation excercises - normally used to clear her mind when using illusions - to give her the indifference to put Oona in pain to heal her, but it is quite another thing to know that every jolt could be worsening the wound, not to mention the pain.

There is no way to get to Falooaloo faster, aside from the method the other quaggans used, but such a ride would be much too bumpy, and Oona's chance of survival would go down.

Fiona focuses on making the journey smooth, so she is going as fast as a quaggan on land.

After about an hour, roughly, Fiona arrives back at the lake Falooaloo is located in. Her signet ring has regained some of it's power, and Fiona tries to heal Oona again. It works a little bit, but Oona still needs whatever medical attention Falooaloo can provide.

Half a minute later, Oona's friend peeks out of the hole. (Clearly, she had been checking above the surface regularly.) Upon seeing Fiona and Oona, she squeals and dives back under.

Two minutes later, Varonos Narrijoo arrives with a gathering basket full of a variation of healing plants. Fiona backs off and lets Narrijoo do her work. Many of the inhabitants of Falooaloo come up to the surface to watch in silence.

"Fiona," Orinoo whispers. "Disa has not returned. Foo."

Fiona frowns. "I don't know how I could find her," she replies softly. "It has snowed since she left, covering any footprints."

"I know which route Oola took," Orinoo replies. "Disa went that way. I can show you."

"Please, do," Fiona replies. "I'm sure her father would blame me if she were hurt."

Immediately, Orinoo starts east again, but less south, along a different route. After about fifteen minutes, Fiona sees human size footprints in the snow (or, norn child size). Even further on, the set of footprints is joined by a quaggan's footprints. A few minutes later, another set intersects the quaggan set, before the quaggan's footprints disappear and the other set leaves.

However, Disa's footprints continue on, as if oblivious to this mess. "She probably wasn't reading the footprints," Fiona tells Orinoo. "I'm afraid Oola is dead, but we can at least help Disa, if possible."

Orinoo nods.

A while later, Disa's footprints seem to be in a confused jumble.

"This is where Olaa would have stopped to forage if she had gotten this far," Orinoo informs Fiona. "Disa knows this. She is probably wondering where Oola is."

"Look! Another set of footprints, like the last odd pair are here," Fiona points out. "Disa's footprints don't seem to respond to them, though."

"Coo, look, she started this way," Orinoo says. "Perhaps she saw the owner of the footprints coming before he got there, and ran away?"

"It's worth a shot, yeah, look, the odd set are right next to them, but Disa's footprints still aren't responding to them. There must be some distance between the two."

Fiona and Orinoo track Disa and the unknown set of footprints south a little ways.

At one point, Disa's footprints do react to the unknown other pair, running in circles and criss-crossing all around within the circle, before taking off again.

A while later on, Disa's footprints run into a cliff, and the other set stops and wanders around for a bit before going off.

Fina takes a look at the cliff. There seem to be a lot of outcroppings on the cliff.

"Disa probably climbed up," Fiona says. "But the thing chasing her couldn't follow. Let's go after her."

"Quaggan cannot climb," Orinoo says mournfully.

"And if you stay, the footprints might come back," Fiona realizes. "I'll mask your presence - does that help?"

"Yes," Orinoo replies.

"Just stay still and close to the cliff. I'll be back in a bit." Fiona says, before climbing up the rough cliff. Near the top, she hears sniffling.

Once Fiona gets to the top, she is exhausted. She doesn't use her partially-regenerated signet ring, though, knowing Disa will probably need the healing power.

A little distance away, under a tree, Fiona sees a dark figure in the shadows. Fiona goes over and finds it to be Disa, shivering in the cold and with a couple deepish cuts on her. A few of them seem... infected, but rather than red and swelling, they are kind of bluish-gray. Fiona decides it must be a poisoned blade, perhaps from those odd footprints chasing her. Fiona heals her with the power (half it's capacity) within the signet ring, reviving her from her unconscious state.

"Fiona," she says, and she seems delirious. Fiona frowns and tries to pick her up. She fails.

Fiona huffs in frustration. ' _Maybe I can make a parachute? I made those snow sleds earlier,_ ' Fiona wonders.

"Can you walk to the edge of the cliff?" Fiona asks.

"Walk? Of course I can walk," Disa replies with a wacky smile. Fiona frowns. Disa pulls herself to her feet, holding onto the pine tree she is sitting under. She takes a few steps and falls down, but Fiona catches her, and with Disa helping, she can manage it.

In this manner Disa gets to the edge of the cliff. Fiona first imagines a parachute in all it's detail, before clearing her mind and looking at the parachute. With her mind cleared, and Fiona purposely ignoreing the knowledge that she can make illusions, it is quite easy for Fiona to believe there is a parachute there (I mean, if you can't trust your eyes, what can you trust?), replacing the wispy illusion with something more solid.

Hoping it works, Fiona gets Disa into the parachute. It holds so far, and Fiona lets Disa off the edge of the cliff, pushing her away from the cliff so she doesn't scrape against it, before generating her own parachute (smaller, so she'll fall faster) and landing about the same time as Disa does, before dismissing the illusion.

"Fiona," Disa says again. "Orinoo." Regaining some of her awareness, she asks, "where is Oola?"

"Gone," Orinoo says mournfully.

"Oola!" Disa calls again, disregarding Orinoo. "Oola! Are you okay?"

"She's delirious," Fiona says worriedly. "She needs help. If only Tiffany were here to cure the poison."

"Poison?" Orinoo asks.

"Yeah, look - it doesn't look like a normal infection, it must be poison," Fiona replies.

"Ooah!" Orinoo cries. "Foo! Bad ice! Baad ice! Boo! That's not poison or infection! It's baad ice! Foo, foo, foo!"

Fiona gasps. ' _Bad ice! Bad ice! Bad ice is the Ice Dragon's corruption! Oh no! Oh no! Those odd footprints must be Icebrood, infecting people! Bad ice! Oh no! That means Oola must be corrupted, too, it was the same sort of footprints, and - all the quaggan foragers disappearing! There must be half a village of corrupted quaggan by now!_ ' Fiona is exxagerating, but she doesn't know how far and how corrupted it has spread. Certainly, in the original storyline, half a village of corrupted quaggan would have been at least partially accurate, but this is a week previously, and the 'bad ice' menace is not nearly so bad yet. But it's still bad, and it is quite far from Falooaloo, as well.

"Bad ice! Bad ice! Oooaahh, this is bad. Foo! Foo, this is bad! Boo!" Orinoo is moaning.

"Oola!" Disa calls again. "OooOolaa!"

"She'll attract the Icebrood!" Fiona hisses to Orinoo.

Orinoo pays her no attention. Fiona huffs. "Bad ice monsters are coming! The ones that have been killing your gatherers! Come! There's nothing we can do for Disa now!"

"Oola! You're alright!" Disa calls.

Fiona's head snaps up, looking at Disa. Beyond Disa, a quaggan is approaching. Faster than it should be. Hissing, Fiona pulls Orinoo away from Disa, before covering them both with an illusion.

Fiona watches, trembling, as the scene unfolds. Behind the quaggan is another hulking figure of ice. Fiona creates a one-way sound bubble - any sound she and Orinoo make won't be heard, but she can hear the noise made on the other side.

"Oola! You came!" Disa says crazily.

The large Icebrood behind the corrupted quaggan steps forward, and Disa seems to have a lucid moment. She screams and scrambles backward, but a moment later she steps forward.

The hulking figure lashes out, seemingly stabbing Disa with icecicles, but she doesn't stumble. Instead, a thin film of 'bad ice' appears over her skin, and she stops calling out for Oola.

Fiona expells breath of frigid air. The best she can do is to put Disa - and Oola, if the corrupted quaggan is Oola - out of her misery. She doesn't know what being corrupted feels like, but it can't be anything but painful.

She and several clones step forward, Fiona targeting Disa, the others targeting the other Icebrood. After a minute of furious battle, during which Disa just stands there (she's not fully corrupted yet) Fiona finishes the other two Icebrood.

"Can you hear me, Disa?" she asks her. "Are you in there?"

When no response comes, Fiona sighs. If Disa is still in there, she hopes she understands what Fiona has to do.

Using her mind-blanking meditation, Fiona ends Disa.

"It wasn't really her anymore," she tells herself. "Disa was already dead. I just killed the body."

Fiona sighs and turns to Orinoo. "Are you alright?"

"Quaggan is sad. The bad ice took Disa. Foo on bad ice. Boo on bad ice!"

"At least we can show her father a recognizable body," Fiona sighs. "Relatively."

A moment later, Fiona blinks. "Oh, I should have remembered. Portals. I didn't need to create parachutes at all. Oh well. Let's get home, Orinoo."

Fiona creates a portal chain back the way they came, taking Disa's body with them.

Back at Falooaloo, Fiona approaches the group of quaggan who are still clustered around Oona and Varonos Narrijoo. Fiona realizes that the 'rescue mission' only took about an hour, with the speedy return via portals.

"My signet is recharged a bit," she tells Narrijoo. "I can heal Oona some more."

"Go ahead," Narrijoo says. "Without your help earlier, she would have died quickly."

Fiona examines the wound again. Narrijoo had put Oona to sleep and given her numbing medicine, as well as some healing mixtures. But the wound is still bad.

Fiona heals her the same way she healed Oona earlier, and the wound heals up some more. It is no longer fatal, but still would have been painful if Narrijoo had not applied his numbing medicine.

"That is all I can do for now," Fiona tells Narrijoo.

"Do not worry, I can handle this wound much more easily," Narrijoo assures Fiona. "And it is safe to bring her into Falooaloo now, rather than staying up here. The water helps quaggans' regenerative abilities, but if it gets in too deep a wound it can harm rather than help. Coo. Oona will be alright. Did you find Oola?"

"We found Oola's body," Fiona replies truthfully. "She had been corrupted by Icebrood. The bad ice is the Ice Dragon's corruption, Narrijoo. Icebrood weapons inflict the corruption, the more the faster. The fewer quaggan that leave the village, the safer and for longer you will be. Quaggan that are lost out there get corrupted and only add to Jormag's influence in this area. If you can hold out until the eggs hatch and then get away, that would be best."

"With the help you have given quaggans today, quaggans will not have to go gathering again for many days," Narrijoo replies. "Not long enough for the eggs to hatch, but we will deal with that when it comes."

"I will come again tomorrow, and my sister might come as well. We will help you find enough food to last," Fiona promises Narrijoo.

"Coo! Thank you, Fiona," Narrijoo says. "Is Disa alright?"

"No. She was corrupted as well. I am going to bring her body to her family."

"Foo on bad ice," Orinoo mourns.

"Good-bye," Fiona says to the quaggans as they hop into the hole in the ice, one by one. At last, only Orinoo is left.

"Quaggan does like to see friends dying," Orinoo says sadly. "But quaggan cannot fight."

"Why not?"

"If I do, the rage will come. It is shameful."

"What is this rage?"

"If quaggan is hurt or in pain, the rage will come. Quaggan will transform into a monster and attack aggressively, ignoring everything else. It is dangerous, because quaggan cannot control it. Quaggan might hurt quaggan's friends."

"Why can't you control it?"

"Quaggan does not know. Some quaggan - like Baroosh - can, but it is still shameful."

"It is never shameful to defend your family and home, Orinoo," Fiona says. "If I had to choose between saving my family and friends and going into the rage, or not saving them - and perhaps dying myself - and not going into the rage, I would do the rage. Who is this Baroosh?"

"He does not live with the rest of the village. He lives out there. But he is okay, because he can fight."

"If you asked him to come with you on gathering expeditions, would he come?"

"Hoo. Maybe. He might not believe us that there are corrupted quaggans."

"Well, there's no reason not to try. I suppose he's too far south for you to get there on your own?"

"Hoo. Yes."

"Well, me and Tiffany can try and help tomorrow, but I need to get Disa's body back to her steading."

"Goodbye, Fiona."

"Goodbye, Orinoo." Fiona replies, standing up and heading back to Disa's home.

* * *

Fiona sighs in exhaustion, plopping down on a chair, back in her and Tiffany's room, before she launches into a description of her day.

"I think that's all. We'll bring these in tomorrow, after we're done helping the quaggans." Fiona says, when she is done. "Now, I'm tired from carrying quaggans and climbing cliffs and walking and generating a lot of illusions and I haven't been able to rejuvenate myself with my signet, because I exhausted it. And it regenerates based on my energy, so it hasn't been regenerating very well today."

"I can keep it for tonight," Tiffany offers.

"Great, let's do that," Fiona agrees, handing Tiffany the signet ring. "Good night."

"Good night," Tiffany echoes.

* * *

 _Author's Notes:_

Wow. This story wrenched itself out of my control and went careening down a mountain. (Almost literally, too!)

When Fiona reads this chapter, she is going to be _so_ mad about what happened with Disa... oh no. My subconscious drove that, though. I didn't realize until on top of the cliff that she was unsaveable, and I didn't realize until she got the ice all over her that Fiona would have to finish her. So Fiona is going to be mad at me. But I promised no spoilers, and soo...

Did you know that Tiffany got sick because, when I first started writing the chapter, I actually felt like doing nothing? But then I wrote some, and then I had all these cool ideas for what Fiona could go do that I decided to leave Tiffany sick. It's a twelve-hour bug, she'll be alright tomorrow.

The whole contacts list is here:

Tiffany/Fiona Smith - battle partner

Ayla Sartini - good friend

Mat Sartini - good friend

Logan Thackeray - good friend

Forgal Kernsson/Sieran - mentor

Caithe - tentative friend

Trahearne - tentative friend

Vigil Crusader Hiroki - temporary acquaintance, (Tiffany:) ally

Whispers Agent Ihan - temporary acquaintance

Priory Scholar Josir - temporary acquaintance (Fiona:) ally

Queen Jennah - queen, acqaintance

Countess Anise - passing acqaintance

Cydwenn - recommended

Bor - recommended

Fiona's list (but not Tiffany's) also has:

Orinoo - casual friend

Disa - acquaintance

Aki - passing acquaintance

Narrijoo - acquaintance


	11. Chapter 11: Troubling Situations

SOLDIERS, SCHOLARS, AND SPIES

* * *

Summary: Begins from the Whispers Agent Bor's perspective on Disa's death and subsequent happenings. Tangwen visits Tiffany and Fiona, and the two discover a troubling mystery. Tiffany and Fiona (supposed Smith) are revealed as 'Tassof' by the mysterious Vanti. They are given a new assignment.

* * *

Chapter eleven: Troubling Situations

* * *

 _Author's Notes:_

There is a new name introduced in this chapter. Vriré. It has an accent over the last /e/. Without the accent, it would be pronounced according to the normal rules of English - that is, the /i/ is a long vowel and the last /e/ is silent. However, I put the accent (é) on the /e/ to tell you that it is _not_ pronounced like that - the /i/ is short, and the é makes an _eh_ or _ay_ sound. Don't say _eh_ or _ay_ because the sound is not transcribable - hence the accent mark.

An easy way to remember the pronounciation of the é is the word resumé or café. So mentally pronounce the name Vriré properly!

 _ **Okay, here's the story now:**_

* * *

Bor hears the girl looking for the quaggans - Fiona, Disa had told him - speaking to Travelen. Bor had been out getting a frozen keg of ale from the cellar for Travelen, and did not know Fiona had entered the steading until he heard her voice.

He can't distinguish the words, and he isn't about to try eavesdropping - he may be Whispers, but he has common decency. Besides, his real talent lies in extracting the information after the fact.

He can hear Fiona's tone, however, and she seems to be in shock. She is speaking with a subdued tone, with a hint of sadness. Travelen seems enraged, but keeps his voice low. After a minute, Fiona seems to convince Travelen of something, and he softens up considerably. A minute later, Fiona leaves the lodge, passing Bor with barely an acknowledging nod.

Bor looks after her as she glances at the waypoint nearby before disappearing in a puff of blue. Huffing in thought, Bor determines to get Travelen to start talking, somehow or other. As he begins to move again, he suddenly glances at the keg he is carrying. He shakes his head and goes back into the outdoor cellar for a really _good_ barrel.

Reentering the lodge, Travelen is nowhere in sight.

Shrugging, Bor returns to his normal spot, opening up the barrel of ale. When the several visitors see it is actual ale and not Bor's usual, they come on over for a drink.

After a few mugfuls from the keg are emptied, Travelen reenters the main room of the lodge, sitting down with a loud thump at a small table, putting his head in his hands.

Bor fills two large mugs of ale and sets one down in front of Travelen, before seating himself across from him.

Travelen snatches up the mug and takes a long drink, thumping the mug back down on the table a moment later.

"What's the matter, Travelen?" Bor asks gruffly, taking a sip of his own ale.

"Disa's dead," Travelen says flatly, taking another long drink.

Bor frowns in consternation. "Dead? How?" He puts his mug down, leaning across the table.

"Icebrood corruption," Travelen replies gruffly. "The lass she ran off with earlier brought her half-corrupted body back."

Bor's forhead creases in worry, still not comprehending. Disa can't be dead. "What happened?"

Travelen instantly starts reeling like a recording that doesn't have a pause button. He tells about Disa's friendship with the quaggan Oola, how she went after the gatherer and was attacked (as best Fiona could describe to Travelen) by an Icebrood, and how Fiona found her.

It seems Travelen had needed a good long explanation over why Fiona didn't go after Disa immediately, rather she waited almost the whole day. So Bor waits patiently and listens, used to rambling from his informants.

He listens more closely when he hears about the corrupted quaggan and Icebrood, and the increasing amounts of quaggan disappearing on gathering trips.

Travelen keeps drinking. Bor silently pushes his own mug over to Travelen's side of the table, not wanting to miss any of this to get a refill. Travelen doesn't notice.

When the distraught parent starts going off on how he can't believe it that Disa is dead, Disa _can't_ be dead, Bor gets up from the table, brings Travelen another mug of ale, and retreats to his corner. He hadn't had more than a single sip of the ale. Travelen, on the other hand, had needed something to drown his grief in. He hadn't hesitated.

Bor runs over what he can figure out of the days' events from Travelen's ramblings. What he keeps snagging on is the Icebrood. So close to Hoelbrak. He is carefully avoiding the fact of Disa's death. It seems unreal at the moment. Disa had been one of his good friends. As a Whispers Agent undercover, he can't afford to have many of those, but Disa had been special. Icebrood. So close to Hoelbrak.

Then Bor notices something else - Fiona had fought off both the corrupted quaggan, the other Icebrood, and most probably Disa herself. Resolving to mention this when the Order calls him in about the recommendation, he turns his thoughts to clearing out the Icebrood from around Hoelbrak.

If Fiona had fought off the Icebrood on her own, what could she do with her sister? Bor doesn't know anything about Tiffany, but if she is anything like Fiona the two would make a formidable pair. Bor contemplates suggesting helping Falooaloo and clearing out the Icebrood as the next step in initiation. The combat-readiness is the next thing on the list, followed by a willingness to help others.

 _'Fiona probably passed that test by now_ ,' Bor thinks to himself. ' _I'd have to know the whole story, of course.'_

Bor's thoughts turn back to Disa. ' _She can't be gone,_ ' he thinks to himself. ' _I need to speak to Disa's mother, Joka._ ' Rising from his place in the corner, Bor goes into the back room.

* * *

Arer, the man who had guided Tiffany and Fiona upon their first entrance to the Chantry of Secrets, is waiting in the room where they were first questioned, along with Ingvil, the norn woman who had shadowed them while they dealt with the hylek problem.

It is late the night of Disa's death, when a cloaked figure swishes past the innocent-seeming fisherman in the tent with Whispers markings outside the cave. Agent Xinn acknowledges him with a nod of his head.

The figure picks up a certain small rock from the floor of the cavern, throwing it into the wall on the far side of the lake. An invisible portal swallows it up, plonking it back where it came from.

A permanent mesmer portal - powered by power crystals of asura design - shimmers into being - triggered by the other portal's activation - on the floor in an odd curve of the cave's wall.

The hooded figure steps on the portal and disappears. A scant moment later the portal collapses in on itself with a barely audible sound - like a drop of water sliding slowly into a puddle - the echoes heard only to a carefully listening ear in the silent cavern.

In a mirrored position on the other side of the lake, within the Chantry of Secrets, in an odd curve of wall, a portal opens up, and a hooded figure springs out as if just taking a step. The portal closes with a faint _tic_ , a faint popping sound as any air within the portal is squeezed out upon deactivation.

The mysterious figure twists his hand in a respectful gesture to the first Lightbringer he meets, a charr with his right paw covered and his weapon in a position to be drawn by his left. The charr nods to the figure and turns, vanishing into the wall. The silent figure follows, and enters the room where Arer and Ingvil await.

"You have two aspiring Initiates being tested," the hooded figure begins, ignoring the one or two rather highly-ranked officers in the shadows. His voice is smooth, and he does not stumble over his words. The charr leaves the room. "I know of one, and through her, the other. I have brought myself before their roll is called, for I believe at least the one to show great promise."

"Show your rank and state your intentions," Ingvil replies after a brief moment of silence.

The shrouded form holds out an arm, seemingly normal until a small device attached to his wrist becomes visible and begins projecting an aura designed to be seen by the unaided eye. After a brief moment, the device vanishes from sight, as does the aura, and the mysterious figure straightens up, showing his height to be that of a norn.

"Those of the unassigned rank of 'aspiring Initiate' that I speak of are Fiona and Tiffany. I wish to speak with both, privately, as currently identified, before any further interrogation begins. I will reveal nothing. The result of this questioning shall be a proposed test assignment, to test both capability in battle as well as a kind heart. If my questioning does not go... favorably, then I shall withdraw myself from them completely in regards to initiation."

"Are there any compromises to this suggested test assignment?" Arer asks.

"No - but it is a favorable compromise. The idea was suggested to me by the fact that aspiring Initiate Fiona has already started on such a quest, entirely - as far as I know - on her own time. It also made known to me a... necessity that, if dealt with now, is a suitable challenge for aspiring Initiates, rather than waiting until later when the threat shall be more obvious and dangerous. Aside from that, the only compromises I see are that I do not know the full extent of the threat - my information has been gathered from second-hand sources, but the information matches my own observations, to a degree."

Arer and Ingvil remain silent for a moment. Then, an asura steps in to the light from from the shadows ringing the room. She has her weapons with her (like everyone has, even in the Chantry), a sword hilt sticking up above each shoulder, and two axes at her sides. Her helm only partially obscures her face, and the people in the room can still identify her.

"Due to the unknown level of threat, there should be a monitor," she says.

"Are you volunteering, Lightbringer Vriré?" the hooded figure demands.

"I am making a suggestion, _Agent_ Bor," the asura snaps, emphasising that Bor is a lower rank than herself. "I have been in this line of work for longer than you have. However, they do need a monitor. If no one else sees the need, I will monitor them myself." Vriré speaks as if the idea for her to monitor the aspiring Initiates was her idea.

Arer glances at Ingvil.

"I have other duties," Ingvil says. "Lightbringer Vriré can monitor them if she likes. Lightbringer, can you stealth?"

"I will not be seen," Vriré snaps back. "You of all people should know this, Agent Ingvil."

"Of course, Lightbringer," Arer agrees. "We will call you when they next report."

The female asura nods, before melting back into the shadows.

"Meet with the aspiring Initiates together, Agent Bor," Arer instructs. The figure nods.

The group disperses. The hooded figure, Bor, decides to stay at the Chantry until morning, before making his way back to Travelen's steading.

* * *

"We're up early!" Tiffany declares, glancing out the window at the low sun and quiet streets.

"That we are. You feeling better?"

"Definitely. Let's turn in these contact lists, shall we?" Tiffany replies, stretching. "Come on!"

"Let's have breakfast first, Tiff. It's early and nobody's up yet. Waking up early is not common, for us at least, and coming in early to a Whispers thing might indicate this is at least more common than it is."

"Which is a bad idea. Well, we can at least get out and about."

"Alright," Fiona shrugs. "It's Friday, right?"

"Right. Tomorrow we've got to go to Caudecus's Manor for the party about signing the treaty with the charr."

"Who're we bringing again?"

"I'm bringing you and Deborah - speaking of, we need to tell her - and if Falcon and Harrison log on we can invite them. You need to be on your mettle, however, and keep their PC-ness covered."

"If they log on in time, right?"

"Right. If they _don't_... you know, Forgal should be there, as well. I'm invited because I helped with the treaty, but Forgal did most of that, he probably got a separate invitation. So that's me, you, Logan, and Forgal, plus Zojja holding a device to track a teleportation. It might be a VOED, but - "

"What the heck is a VOED?" Fiona asks.

"A Very Old Energy Detector," Tiffany replies promptly.

"So you're what, an asura now?" Fiona asks.

"Nope. I just dealt with them a bit while fighting Zhaitan. We needed to see some sort of ritual to summon something, and somebody used a VOED to find it. It was confusing. But I just know that VOED equals Very Old Energy Detector and that is explanatory enough for me."

"Ah. Well, let's head down and talk to Deborah." Fiona replies. "And won't Queen Jennah and Countess Anise be there, too?"

"Yeah, but the whole reason there's bad guys to fight is that they captured Queen Jennah. I... what _did_ happen to Countess Anise then? She wasn't with us, and she wasn't with Queen Jennah when we found her. She must have been captured as well, but..."

"There's probably some explanation. Maybe she wasn't invited?"

Tiffany utterly fails at holding in a snort. "She's Queen Jennah's _bodyguard_. She'd be there even if she _wasn't_ invited. She sticks to the Queen's side more than Logan does, and that's saying something. Eh, don't repeat that last bit."

"Oh," Fiona says abashedly. "And I won't."

"Hey, Deborah?" Tiffany asks as the two enter the lower floor of the inn.

"Yeah?"

"Are you free tomorrow?"

"Sure, why?"

"Remember how I was off a week or so ago doing Vigil things?"

"Yeah. You defended the charr/human peace treaty, right?"

"Right," Tiffany agrees. "Well, now, Caudecus Beetlestone is hosting a garden party to celebrate it, and I was invited. I was told I could bring four friends. I was wondering if you wanted to come?"

"That'd be cool!" Deborah declares. "Who else will be there?"

"Queen Jennah, of course, and ambassadors from the other major races. Countess Anise, too."

"Obviously, if the Queen's there," Deborah comments. "I suppose your friend Forgal will be there too? He helped you."

"I don't know, but probably. He helped more than I did, certainly."

"I'll be there. When?"

"Early afternoon. And Caudecus's personal inventor, Uzolan, is going to reveal an invention later on." Tiffany says, recalling the information on the invitation. *

"At Lord Caudecus's manor?" Deborah checks.

"Yep," Tiffany confirms. "Want to go turn in those papers to the Order, Fiona?"

"The Order of Whispers has paperwork?" Deborah asks incredulously.

"Less than the Priory, let me tell you," Fiona grimaces.

"Well, I'm glad I'm not in the Priory, then," Deborah declares. "I don't like paperwork. The Seraph have to fill out reports once a week, and it's _boring_."

"This paperwork was fun, though. We were suppose to put down everyone we know and how well we know them."

"What did you label me as?" Deborah asks curiously.

"We didn't put family in," Fiona says. "Tiffany said our last name was Smith instead of Tassof, and if we put you guys in they might investigate and find it wrong. I don't believe in lying the Order, and if we do, I don't believe in telling them."

"I understand," Deborah replies faintly. "Well, go do your paperwork."

As Tiffany and Fiona leave the inn, Tangwen approaches. "Hi you two! It's been a long time."

Tiffany blinks in surprise at seeing Tangwen. Then, she blinks again. Tangwen spoke in english, not Tyrian. Recalling the conversation with Deborah, she realizes the english echo faded completely.

"Hey Tangwen!" Tiffany greets Tangwen cordially. She sees Fiona blink in surprise, and wonders why.

"How are you?" Fiona asks. Tiffany blinks in shock. The Tyrian echo of Fiona's english words was so overpowering Tiffany almost missed that Fiona did speak english.

"I'm fine, how are you?"

"We were on our way to turn in some paperwork for the Order of Whispers. Tiffany was sick yesterday, or we would've done it then, but otherwise we're fine." Fiona replies. "How is the family?"

"They came back from vacation a couple days ago, and are working on unpacking. I know Falcon got done early and has been looking for you in Shaemoor. He saw you once a day or so ago, but you waypointed away before he could get your attention."

"That must have been when we brought Mat and Ayla back from the Grove," Tiffany recalls.

"Back from where?" Tangwen asks, confused. After a moment, Fiona nods to herself as if having figured something out.

"The Grove," Tiffany repeats.

"Oh, the sylvari city?"

"Right. We took Mat and Ayla there for a tour the other day."

"I see. Well, I'll tell Falcon you're around." Tangwen's voice gets distant for a moment. "I'll be right there!" before coming back. "Dad needs me, see you later!" Tangwen disappears.

"What happened there, when she didn't know what the Grove was?" Tiffany asks Fiona.

"You said it in Tyrian."

"Oh."

* * *

The two pop to Shaemoor to explore a bit, it still being too early to go to the Chantry of Secrets. Automatically, their feet lead them toward the Sartini residence. Mat and Ayla are playing the yard.

"Hey Tiffany! Fiona!" Ayla hollers.

"Hi!" Tiffany replies.

"I'm sorry for being mean the other day, Fiona," Mat says, looking at the ground.

"It's alright, Mat," Fiona replies. "It wasn't that important anyway."

"Why did you come?" Ayla asks.

"Do we need a reason?" Fiona asks playfully.

Tiffany realizes they haven't been coming over very much, and that Aya's question is evidence of their absence. "We wanted to stop by and chat a minute. We were heading out to do grownup stuff."

"I see," Mat says seriously. "You're going to go hang out with kids that are cooler than us."

"They aren't kids, and they're much less 'cool' than you. You are your own type of coolness."

"I've seen some funny little people who said they weren't kids," Ayla says.

"Did they have weird ears?" Fiona asks. Tiffany winces at Fiona's description.

"Yes! They were big and pointy," Ayla confirms.

"And their eyes were really big," Mat adds.

"Those were asura," Tiffany informs them.

"Ooh! They used a lot of big words, like 'transatmospheric converter' and 'electrode connections.'" Ayla remembers. "And I asked and they told me what it means! A 'transatmospheric converter' is something that can change the weather, and that asura was working on inventing one. 'Electrode connections' are invisible power forces that connect things, and sometimes hold them together. Like on golems."

"You are going to get to be a very smart person one day," Tiffany declares. "And you were very lucky that asura was willing to help. Most of them will just say, very nastily, 'stupid human' and walk away."

"Oh."

"However, you should tell us if you ever want to go to the asura city. We can take you there if you like. Maybe you can learn more," Fiona suggests. " **Maybe we could introduce them to Zojja.** " she mumbles to Tiffany.

" **Just because Ayla knows what a transatmospheric converter is, and what electrode connections are? Asura characters win the Snaff Savant by creating a transatmospheric converter. Knowing what a word is from somebody who is trying to invent it is very not-impressive. The impressive part is getting the knowledge as a human. I doubt Zojja would be interested,** " Tiffany mutters back. Fiona nods in understanding.

"Sylvari are awesome," Mat is saying to Ayla.

"I know a sylvari. She's even more awesome," Fiona pipes up. "Her name is Sieran."

"What's she like?"

"She's a member of the Priory, and she's always excited about everything. 'Let's teach those dredge a lesson! Oh, how fun!'"

"She sounds cool," Mat declares.

"She's an elementalist, right?" Tiffany asks Fiona.

"Yep. She likes using water and ice for attacking." Fiona says. "But elementalists can generally also use fire, earth, and air skills."

"Elementalists sound cool. A sylvari elementalist must be the best," Mat declares.

"Hey! Rangers are cool too," Tiffany says, pretending to be hurt by the remark.

"And mesmers!" Fiona chimes in.

"As well as guardians, warriors, thieves, and necromancers!"

Fiona pauses a moment. "Tif-fan- _y_ ," she groans. "Again?"

"Hey, it's all the professions except - " Tiffany stops abruptly, before continueing, "except engineers."

Running through all the professions in her mind again, Fiona nods, and realizes she also left out revenants, but she couldn't really mention them, now could she?

"Speaking of sneaky thieves," Fiona says, "we should be going. We have sneak-work of our own to do."

"Right," Tiffany agrees, glancing at the sky. "See you later, you two."

The two girls vanish in a puff of blue.

Ayla and Mat look at each other.

"They never come to visit," Ayla says disappointedly.

"And when they do, it's too short," Mat grumps. "Can't they have a free day now and then?"

"Right. They're too busy heroing now-a-days," Ayla sighs. "Can't they take us with them sometime?"

"Or teach us something? I wanted to show them how good I've gotten with the slingshot," Mat adds.

"And how I can make Miss Eda's recipe on my own now," Ayla agrees.

"Ayla! Mat! Time for school!" Katherine calls from the house.

"Coming, Mother," Mat hollers back.

* * *

Tiffany and Fiona enter the room they had been in previously, each holding their list inconspiciously in one hand.

Arer is there, as well as a few figures in the shadows near the back of the room. Bor and Vriré had been notified when Tiffany and Fiona tripped the wards at the entrace, and Cydwenn had been called for. Ingvil is standing unnoticed against the right wall.

"Have you brought the information we requested?" Arer asks.

"Yes," Tiffany replies, masking her nervousness.

"Hand them to me," Arer replies, stepping forward, hand outstretched. Tiffany and Fiona offer their papers, and he takes them.

Stepping back, he skims over the list of names. Tiffany and Fiona had copied the information down after they were done, ensuring it was in the correct order - most well-acqainted with to least.

Tiffany watches Arer's facial expression, trying to gauge which names he is reading. She sees his eyebrows jump from time to time, but otherwise his expression stays the same. ' _I so need to learn how to do that,_ ' Tiffany thinks inside. ' _It must be something like Occlumency._ '

Arer, switching to Fiona's page, skims through it even more quickly, noting that both lists are nearly identical, with a few added names on the end. He notes that Fiona left off the paper that Disa had died.

"Wait here," he tells them. "I need to discuss the results with my comrades." He turns and leaves through a door in the wall behind him. The figures in the shadows melt away, and Ingvil (still unnoticed by the two) disappears through another door, leaving Tiffany and Fiona alone.

Fiona conjures two chairs to sit on, realizing that discussing their lists will take a long while.

" **Maybe they're testing our patience,** " Tiffany proposes.

" **I imagine it would be quite necessary in a spy organization.** " Fiona remarks dryly. " **I'm sure that Cydwenn and Bor must be quite** _ **bored**_ **sitting in the middle of nowhere, doing nothing particularly interesting.** "

" **Cool, pun, but I doubt it will advance us any,** " Tiffany replies.

A few minutes later, Arer steps out of the door and beckons to them. Tiffany and Fiona rise, and Fiona dissolves the chair illusions.

Entering the next room, which is furnished like an office, Arer directs them to sit in two chairs. Tiffany mentally instructs Beorn to sit in the corner. She notes that the three chairs within the room - two occupied by her and Fiona - are situated in a triangle, making it easy for any one of the three to look at another.

Arer leaves the room, and a moment later a cloaked and hooded figure with a noticeable stoop enters the room, sitting across from them. All that can be seen behind his hood are his eyes. ' _Maybe charr?_ ' Tiffany wonders.

Arer leaves the room, and the hooded figure remains silent for a moment.

"You may call me Vanti," he says at last.

Fiona's forhead creases in puzzlement. His voice seems familiar, but she can't place it.

"I am Tiffany," Tiffany says in forced calm.

"Fiona."

"I know your names," Vanti says, looking hard at first Fiona, then Tiffany. "I would like you to answer some questions."

"You can ask, but do not be surprised if we do not answer," Tiffany replies, her nerves high-strung.

"A wary individual," Vanti remarks as if to himself. It alerts Tiffany to the fact that this whole conversation could be a test. Speaking louder, he adds, "You know some curious people. I am left wondering if you know a few other certain persons."

Tiffany remains silent, her expression telling Fiona not to say anything.

"Captain Logan Thackeray, of the Seraph of Kryta," Vanti says, tapping a sheet of paper before him. It is not the paper Tiffany or Fiona turned in.

Tiffany tries to see it, but cannot, due to the awkward height alignment of the desk and her chair.

"A staunch guardian, both professionally and of the human Queen, Jennah," Vanti continues. "A member of Destiny's Edge, he confronted several of Jormag's champions and the dragon prophet Glint, before the group confronted Kralkatorrik, the Elder Crystal Dragon itself. He was seen in Ebonhawke with Jennah at that time, however, leading to the belief that he was not with Destiny's Edge while they confronted the Elder Dragon. Labeled as 'good friend' by Tiffany and Fiona Smith."

Vanti pauses and shuffles through some more papers. "Caithe, Firstborn of the sylvari race," he begins. "Born in the Cycle of Night, a thief by profession. Lover of Faolain, another Firstborn. Member and scout of Destiny's Edge, she confronted several of Jormag's champions and the dragon prophet Glint, before the group confronted Kralkatorrik, the Elder Crystal Dragon itself. Labeled as 'tentative friend' by Tiffany and Fiona Smith."

Vanti lays the two papers side-by-side. "Both people were members of Destiny's Edge," he says, looking at the two contemplatively. "Neither have much contact with each other. How could you know both without having three others on the list? Namely..." Vanti glances through his papers again, extracting three from the pile.

"Zojja, former apprentice of the certified genius Snaff. Organizer of the Snaff Savant prize each year. Stiff rivals with Kudu, an Inquest leader. Member of Destiny's Edge. And all the other stuff I already said," Vanti says, laying the paper down. "Tribune Rytlock Brimstone, of the Blood Legion of the charr Legions of Ascalon. Rather small for his race, but ferocious as any charr twice his size. Member of Destiny's Edge. And the rest." Next paper, and Tiffany already knows (roughly) what is on that paper. "Eir Stegalkin, renowned hero of the norn. Attempted to slay one of Jormag's champions, before founding Destiny's Edge. Since an argument five years ago, has stayed in Hoelbrak carving statues."

Vanti places the papers down. "Those three," he says in a speculative tone. "You know Caithe and Thackeray, why don't you know Stegalkin, Brimstone, and Zojja?"

"Caithe called a meeting of Destiny's Edge a short time ago," Tiffany begins cautiously. "L - Captain Thackeray invited us along with him. We were introduced to Caithe, before the rest showed up. Before we were introduced, a heated argument sprang up."

"We would have put them on the list, but we were never introduced," Fiona adds. "We don't know them."

Vanti nods slowly, consideringly. Straightening up some, he delicately extracts another paper.

"Disa Jokasdottir, of Travelen's steading in Snowslide Ravine, friend of the local quaggans of Falooaloo, died..." Vanti's voice wavers just a bit before firming, "...late on the eve of the eighty-eighth day of the Zephyr season, thirteen twenty-five, by the Ice Dragon's corruption."

There is a frown in Fiona's face.

"How do you know Jokasdottir?" Vanti asks firmly.

"I met her yesterday, and she showed me to Falooaloo." Fiona says. "Tiffany was not with me at the time."

"What do you know of her death?"

"She was injured by Icebrood weapons. She was dilirious and unheeding of my pleas to keep quiet lest it return. She was calling for a quaggan by the name of Oola, who had been corrupted as well. Orinoo noticed the wounds she had, which I thought were poisoned, to be what he called 'bad ice', which I know is dragon corruption. Noticing several Icebrood approaching, and knowing that once the corruption process is started, there is nothing anyone can do to reverse it, I backed off. When the Icebrood resumed attacking her, I tried to save her, but she calmed and stopped calling out. Her skin was covered over with ice now, and so I fought the other Icebrood off, before trying to get her to respond to me. She just stood there twitching as the corruption enhanced. I..." Fiona trails off, staring at her hands folded in her lap. Tiffany winces in sympathy.

"It is... good to know you can do what needs to be done," Vanti says with an effort. He shakes his head, and shuffles through the papers again.

"Whispers Agent Ihan, temporary acquaintance," he says. "Directed several missions in response to a Risen threat in the form of a corrupted human Seraph officer named Kellach. Authorized by Tiffany and Fiona _Tassof_."

Tiffany and Fiona glance at each other.

"As reported by Agent Ihan, Tiffany is a ranger by profession, most commonly found with her animal companion, a bear named Beorn." Vanti glances at Beorn, still sitting a corner, meaningfully, before continueing. "Fiona is a mesmer by profession. The two, sisters (possibly twins), live in the Salma District of Divinity's Reach, Advocate of the Crown in dealing with Kellach. Tiffany Tassof joined the Vigil, and Fiona Tassof joined the Durmand Priory, although both were offered Whispers initiation. Tiffany exploded once about inter-Order unity."

Tiffany glances at Fiona, telling her to stay quiet.

"So, Tiffany _Tassof_ ," Vanti says sternly. "Why did you introduce yourself as Smith?"

"Reflex," Tiffany answers honestly.

"And you went along with this?" Vanti asks, turning to Fiona.

"She'll give an odd last name occasionally. Generally when she is being cautious..." Fiona pauses for a moment. "It's general practice not to give two last names when we're sisters and anyone can see it," she finishes after a moment.

Vanti nods slowly. "What are your offensive capabilities? What sorts of things have you defeated?"

"A gigantic earth elemental," Tiffany volunteers. "A lot of Separatists and Renegades. Tons of centaurs. We were responsible for keeping the bandit numbers down in western Kryta for the last couple months."

"Dredge," Fiona adds. "Some Risen. One or two Icebrood. We haven't gotten into any really big fights, but we can hold our own easily. Tiffany once took on an entire cave full of trained bandits."

"With twenty of your illusions to help," Tiffany retorts.

"I was sitting uselessly in a corner. You were decimating - "

"No need to argue," Vanti says, holding up a hand. "I understand how it is. Your recommendors have been called."

Vanti rearranges the papers on the desk before leaving the room.

Tiffany glances at Fiona. " **Our cover has been blown,** " she shrugs. " **Oh well. Should we inform them about Deborah and -** "

" **Let us not. Or they will research us even more trying to discover what we were trying to hide - nothing - and neither of us what Whispers probing our lives. Who knows what they would discover? A little personality shift? An occasional thing we knew that we were never told?** "

" **Right,** " Tiffany replies. " **Also, let's stop speaking Shilgni. Or at least Tyrian-based Shilgni. They can probably decipher it eventually.** "

Arer reenters the room, seating himself at the table that Vanti just vacated. "You," he says, looking at Tiffany. "Have listed Vigil Crusader Hiroki as 'temporary acquaintance, ally'. You also have Forgal Kernsson - Warmaster of the Vigil - listed as mentor. You have admitted to being Tiffany Tassof, a Crusader of the Vigil." Turning to Fiona, he says, "You have listed Priory Scholar Josir as 'temporary acquaintance, ally'. You also have Sieran - Magister of the Priory - listed as mentor. You have admitted to being Fiona Tassof, Scholar of the Priory."

Tiffany and Fiona remain silent.

"Yet you both wish to join the Order of Whispers. Why?"

"So we have more resources," Tiffany replies. "If we had joined the Order when offered by Agent Ihan, we would have been wholly incapable, then, of joining the Vigil and/or Priory. However, the Order of Whispers understands keeping options open and information. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if you have already infiltrated those two Orders. Knowledge is power."

Arer's face remains impassive. "You will travel to the Shiverpeaks, to a lake. It has no name, but within it is located a village of quaggan, known as Falooaloo. Go there and fight Icebrood. This is an open-ended request. Return when the sun is a hand above the horizon today, and report your doings. There is no set amount of Icebrood to kill. If you don't feel like killing Icebrood, don't. If you feel like doing something else instead, do it. If you don't feel like going to the Shiverpeaks at all, don't. Going there is only a preference of the Order. You are being tested in more ways than you know, so act naturally. If you don't, the test will most likely fail. Go."

Arer leaves the room.

Tiffany and Fiona leave the way they came, going to the Shiverpeaks. Fiona leads the way to Falooaloo. "We were coming here anyway," Fiona remarks. "I told Varonos Narrijoo I, at least, would."

* * *

 _Author's Notes:_

Not much action, is there? Don't worry, it'll be in the next chapter. (Possibly from Vriré's PoV.)


	12. Chapter 12: Icebrood Slayer (achievment)

SOLDIERS, SCHOLARS, AND SPIES

* * *

Summary: Vriré's perspective on Tiffany and Fiona's assignment. Jaw-dropping prowess on Tiffany and Fiona's part, quaggan-helping, and Icebrood slaying (obviously). A plot hatched between two Whispers members, and you finally get to see ahead of time what the next assignment is! Oh, and a lot character development for Vriré (she needs it, she's an OC!)

* * *

Chapter twelve: Icebrood Slayer (achievement)

* * *

 _Author's Notes:_

No, the chapter name is not a real achievement, I checked.

And yes, Vriré is female. Just clarifying, because my fingers think that Vriré is a male name and therefore keep writing 'he' or 'him'... but it's better now. (if you find a place where it says Vriré is male, please let me know.)

 _ **Okay, here's the story now:**_

* * *

Vriré follows the two girls inconspiciously. She had started tailing them when they had left the room, knowing it would not be remarked upon, as odd people are seen in the Chantry all the time. She does take care to remain a ways off, though - unrelated to those girls. They are discussing what just happened.

"You looked startled when Vanti started talking, Fi," the taller one says.

"His voice sounded familiar. I just couldn't place him." the shorter answers.

"Vanti seems like an alias name to me. I mean, from his height - or his height if he hadn't been stooping like that - he's either a norn or a charr. Vanti doesn't seem like a norn or charr name. It sounds more like Venti, our old cat."

The shorter one giggles. "Why _did_ we name the cat Venti?"

"Who knows. So, we going to visit Falooaloo?"

"Yep. Waypoint - oh but you don't have that waypoint. We'll go via Lion's Arch then. To the asura gates, Tiffany."

The two girls disappear in a puff of blue, and so does Vriré, a moment later.

* * *

Knowing they are headed to Falooaloo, she waypoints to the closest waypoint she has - Graupel waypoint, before starting west.

She sees Cydwenn at Skovtrolde, who nods at her respectfully, and Bor at Travelen's steading, who waves cheerily and informs her that Tiffany and Fiona have not passed this way yet.

"I know," Vriré replies shortly. She goes and sits inconspiciously in a corner, where she has a good view of the path outside the steading.

A few minutes later, Tiffany and Fiona _enter_ the steading - which Vriré had expected - and Fiona introduces Tiffany to Bor.

"So this is the lass I recommended," Bor replies. "Have you turned in those lists yet?"

Vriré nods. Bor is doing an excellent job not blowing his cover as Vanti.

Fiona's eyebrows jump up, but she replies, "Yes." She does not offer any more information, however.

Vriré nods again. These two are going to be good Whispers agents. To keep her cover, she leaves the steading, dropping a silver on the table for show. She can return and collect it later.

On a cliff overlooking the lake in which Falooaloo is situated, Vriré happens to look up, and see an odd formation in the cliff behind her, leading up to a snowy ledge. Deciding that such a place would be a ideal for watching the girls without being seen, she climbs the cliff-face, just in time to not be seen by Tiffany and Fiona.

On the clear wintry air, Vriré can hear them perfectly.

"Bor is Vanti, Tiffany!" Fiona is telling her companion anxiously. "I knew I recognized his voice from somewhere!"

Vriré nods approvingly. The girls are perceptive, as well.

"He's the one who quizzed us on our connections," Tiffany replies thoughtfully. "He also asked about our battle capabilities. What could he be hiding?"

"Maybe it's protocol? If we knew who he was we might be inclined to answer differently," Fiona suggests. "Like to boast of our achievments instead of being honest with the Order."

"Now that's a thought," Tiffany nods. "But then why would he keep up the façade? He asked whether we had reported in or not. You told me that Cydwenn said that she would know if you didn't put her on the list, so I assume Bor would also know. And Vanti said that our recommenders had been called! Bor would know if we'd turned them in or not."

"Right," Fiona replies ponderingly. "Well, we'll just not trust him anymore."

Tiffany lets out a hollow laugh. "Trust him? Trust him?"

At this point, Tiffany and Fiona are almost out of earshot, but are now descending the cliff towards Falooaloo, so Vriré jumps down from the ledge, landing lightly, before sneaking after them.

"Fiona, are you crazy?" Tiffany is saying. "He's Whispers. We don't trust anybody from Whispers until we have credible proof that we can trust them. It's the _Order of Whispers_ , Fiona!"

"Oh. Right," Fiona says abashedly.

Vriré can't believe her ears. These two new recruits - they certainly will become Initiates, she'll make sure of it - are already wary of the Order! Most new members - and some longtime Agents - trust the other members implicitly - the Order is all on one side, their logic is - but these two are really Whispers at heart!

"Alright, Tiffany. Time to hop in the water," Fiona says cheerfully.

"You're the one who said how freezing Shiverpeaks water is," Tiffany says flatly.

"That was before I discovered that your aquabreather automatically keeps you warm. It takes a minute or so to adjust, however, and it only starts adjusting once you're also using it to breath through. So you'll be freezing for a minute, but not too long. Just jump in quick."

Vriré frowns. The aquabreather doesn't keep the wearer warm... although maybe she should send a message to Cirra, her armorsmith in Rata Sum, to invent that. It would make swimming in Shiverpeaks water easier.

"You know I'm not the sort to go in completely in freezing water, Fiona." Tiffany says flatly, equipping her aquabreather.

"Would just putting your head in be better?" Fiona asks dryly. "Come," Fiona walks across the ice, looking around. "The hole should be around here somewhere."

"It's in the north end of the lake," Tiffany says absentmindedly, following Fiona.

Vriré frowns. Tiffany has never been here before - how does she know that?

SPLASH! Vriré is startled by the loud noise.

Fiona drops an illusion over the hole in the ice and jumps in with Tiffany, blocking Tiffany's frantic efforts to get out of the cold water. Fiona covers the hole with a solid illusion and waits for Tiffany to wear herself out.

Vriré is also blocked from getting in, too, so she waits, going to the opposite side of the lake.

After a while, the illusion vanishes, but Vriré knows better than to go in when there is no good reason for an asura in battle gear to be visiting a quaggan village like Falooaloo.

A while after that, a lot of quaggan come out of the hole, followed by Tiffany and Fiona. They are facing away from Vriré, so she stays put.

The quaggan organize themselves into two large teams.

"I'll go with Shashoo," Tiffany volunteers.

"I'm with Orinoo anyway," Fiona shrugs. "Don't let any Icebrood get near them," Fiona instructs. "And don't get injured by Icebrood, either."

"I know," Tiffany replies.

Vriré realizes they are going to split up, and wonders what to do. When the teams split in opposite directions, she calls Bor with a Whispers alert flare and follows Fiona, who is heading south . She scrawls a message on a paper and applies her signal to it, before placing it a little ways down the path Tiffany took, amongst the churned snow of footprints.

Fiona portals the quaggan team in the direction the quaggans point out, and Vriré can barely keep up. But her training as a speedy warrior* pays off, and she keeps within earshot of the team. Soon Fiona slows up to allow the quaggan to forage. Occasionally she sees and kills Icebrood following the group, seeing that Fiona's mission is to protect them.

After a few hours, when the sun is high overhead, and Fiona is getting worn out, one of her clones protecting the group dies. When Fiona has a slow reaction, Vriré is on high alert. Fiona didn't dismiss the illusion, but she reacted slowly. There must be an attack coming that she can't deal with like this.

Vriré looks around, and sees a cave right where the clone had died. ' _Icebrood_ ,' Vriré thinks.

"Back, get back!" Fiona yelps, having seen the same thing. She runs forward, her clones following her.

Vriré frowns. The rest of the quaggan are left exposed. If Fiona is focusing on the fight, she'll be okay. Vriré moves to the opposite side of the clearing, watching for telltale signs of Icebrood - a growing chill in the air, a sense of _wrongness_ that pervades the air if one knows what to look for - ignoring the quaggan.

"Hoo, who are yoOou?" one quaggan asks Vriré.

"Nobody that you know," Vriré says shortly. "I'm helping Fiona defend you."

"Thank yooOou!" the quaggan says, before resuming his work.

Vriré hears sounds of battle coming from inside the cave. Her ears twitch, but she remains in position.

A few minutes later, Fiona leaves the cave. Vriré melts into the shadows under a stand of trees.

"Quaggan," Fiona says. "Lots of corrupted quaggan." She seems defeated - her posture is weary, she has a tired - but focused - look in her eyes, and there are none of her illusions to be seen. "Have you gathered a lot?"

"Yes, lots," a male quaggan volunteers. "The gathering baskets are almost full, coo!"

"Let's head home, then," Fiona says cheerfully. "Sled time!"

The quaggans all cheer, and Fiona mentally generates a lot of...

Vriré squints at the contraptions. A norn-size shield-shaped thing, upturned in the snow. The quaggans all sit in them, and then push. The 'sleds', as Fiona called them, whiz down the slope. *

Vriré shakes her head and runs after them with a huff. At least it's easier downhill. But the 'sleds' easily outdistance her. So the promising Initiates are imaginative, too.

* * *

When Vriré finally gets back to Falooaloo, Fiona is in the lake. Vriré can tell because the illusion over the hole. Tiffany must have returned, too.

Vriré returns to the same place she had waited at earlier.

When Tiffany and Fiona emerge from the lake, they immediately go south. "The Icebrood are this way," Fiona tells Tiffany. "I only got away from them all by masking our presence."

Vriré nods in approval. Wise, too. Most new recruits would have stayed, trying to prove their worth, rather than leaving. These promising Initiates only need one more test - that of subtlety.

She recalls the quaggan gathering team she'd followed had passed near a waypoint - Wyrmblood waypoint - and she disappears in a puff of blue. Getting her bearings, she returns to the cave where Fiona had fought the Icebrood.

She can feel the corruption radiating from the cave, and hides herself in the same stand of trees as earlier.

A minute later, Fiona and Tiffany step out of the last portal. "Hope you're ready, Tiffany. I don't know how far back the cave goes - we could be in there all day."

"Well, at least we'll cull the Icebrood numbers, and hopefully lower the amount of people corrupted on a day-to-day basis."

"Right. In we go!" Tiffany cries. "Beorn, with me! Um, Fi, do you think he'll be alright if...?"

"He has that cure conditions ability, right?"

' _Condition?_ ' Vriré wonders.

"Yeah... I just..."

"He'll be fine. He...eh... ti reven..."

Both aspiring Initiates launch into a rambling talk. Vriré recalls Ingvil mentioning this when the norn had been the monitor.

The two are entering the cavern now, and Vriré follows, sticking to the shadows to observe their fighting.

Tiffany espies an Icebrood and flings a knife at it's head, killing it instantly. Fiona creates a portal that brings it back to Tiffany's feet. She picks it up and looks ahead, down the cavern. She grins gleefully. "And now I'm eagerly awaiting Icebrood to kill. Let's go!"

Vriré leaps to her feet and follows closely behind the two, still marveling at Tiffany's carelessly easy dispatching of the Icebrood.

Tiffany rounds a corner and is confronted with a large cavernful of Icebrood. "Fiona, I'm about to be bad," she gets a gleeful look in her eye and charges the Icebrood.

Vriré opens her mouth to tell the girl not to be fool, she can't handle that many Icebrood, but snaps it shut again before she blows her cover.

A glowing greatsword appears in Tiffany's hand, very standard, and Vriré knows it's an illusion. Tiffany swings the blade around ferociously, sweeping Icebrood off their feet and cleaving their heads in half.

Tiffany throws the sword to the side. It vanishes before it hits the floor. Two axes are in Tiffany's hands, and she is using them unlike Vriré has ever seen.

Touching the axes at her own side, she watches as Tiffany bounces axes between foes and throws them out in conical patterns, all with a queer twist that makes them return to her. Occasionally an axe will snare an Icebrood and pull it closer on the return path.

Now she spins around a few Icebrood into the center of the bunch, before spinning in a crazy dance, axes whirling, and thrusting her hand up in the air. The illusionary greatsword reappears and she spins in a circle, holding the sword in front of her, cutting the mindless Icebrood to shreds.

Vriré is in awe. No Initiate she'd seen, in her thirteen years of being a member of the Order, could have done that.

"Switch," Tiffany says, releasing the greatsword, which shatters. "You take point."

"GaHoole talk, Tif?" Fiona smirks at her. "You know those are just legends."

"Yeah, right. Talking owls. Of course - hey! Maybe those are legends of the Spirit of Owl?"

"Huh?"

"Owl is one of the Spirits of the Wild. Not one of the main four, but still."

"Oh. I see. Yeah, maybe. Where do the Spirits come from? Maybe those legends are history, where Owl came from."

"Who knows."

Vriré is confused. What is this GaHoole?

"Anyway, you take point," Tiffany says. "I'm worn out. I'll call Shelob to aid you with poison - you did take the vaccine, right?"

'Vaccine'? Vriré mouths in confusion.

"Ages ago, you know it," Fiona replies.

A large cave spider unstealths and stays by Tiffany's side while Fiona ventures farther into the network of caves.

A couple of Icebrood show up in the twisting tunnels, and Fiona dispatches them with a beam of magical energy from her own greatsword.

"Fiona, we might get lost in here," Tiffany says after a few minutes.

"That's what waypoints are for," Fiona remarks dryly.

"Oh. Right," Tiffany replies with a whispery laugh.

"Ooh, look, a big ol' cave of Icebrood. Hmm, this cave network is full of Icebrood."

Fiona spins forward, cloning herself ten times with her staff. Each of the ten illusions throw colorful magical balls of light around, bouncing off of Icebrood, Fiona, Fiona's illusions, Tiffany, and Tiffany's spider - ' _Shelob?_ ' Vriré remembers. ' _What kind of name is Shelob?_ ' - and Vriré. But neither Fiona nor Tiffany notice her. The spider is launching clumps of something green in the midst of the Icebrood, which appears to be poisoning.

However, the poison does not seem to be affecting Fiona. ' _That's what a vaccine is,_ ' Vriré realizes. ' _A poison resistant. A code-name for elixir or potion, perhaps?_ '

Fiona is pouring so much belief magic into her staff that it gets dangerous - she believes she and Tiffany are alone, and she is pouring magic into that belief accidentally, and so Vriré's presence is masked. If Vriré had been an assassin, she would have found it embarrassingly easy to kill the two girls, stealthed by their own magic. As it is, Vriré watches Fiona's powerful display of magic in awe.

' _Her mental power must be astounding!_ ' Vriré thinks. ' _I don't know anybody - mesmer or not - with that much mental fortitude!_ '

Quickly, the Icebrood are gone. Vriré shakes her head, before stepping backward around a corner, ready for when Fiona stops powering her beliefs with magic.

She hears the two take steps down the tunnel, and Vriré tentatively follows. So far, the only bad mark on Fiona's record is using that much belief magic. But that would be rectified with training. ' _Pierre DeGlass*** can beat sense into anyone,_ ' Vriré thinks approvingly. ' _Everyone can benefit from DeGlass's training. Fiona would be even better than she already is, and DeGlass will be pleased that she's already mastered the basics._ '

After a while, Tiffany speaks up. "How will we know when the sun is a hand above the horizon, in a cave?"

"We won't have to worry about that for a bit. It was noon when I was at this cave last, and it didn't take long to go back. It may've been an hour from then we entered the cave. We've been in here for about two hours, which is three. What rough estimate has the sun been going down at, here?"

"Late. It's generally just setting by the time we get to bed."

"So we'll wait 'till we get tired and then check the sun's position. If it's not time yet, we'll go do something else. What's on the to-do list?"

"Assassinate the centaur leader, if there is one," Fiona starts, checking off on her fingers. "Visit the cities because you-know-why - "

"Leave the Black Citadel out of that," Tiffany interjects. "At least until we have some... _credible_ reason for seeing the guy."

"Right, that's to be expected," Fiona nods. "I think Hoelbrak is next, honestly."

As Fiona continues listing things, Vriré wonders why they were going to visit the Black Citadel, who they were going to meet, and why they would need a credible reason.

"Ah-ha!" Tiffany says. "The hub of the corruption. I hope I don't slip on all this corrupted ice."

" _That_ 's your concern, and there's lots and lots of Icebrood going through and through the place?" Fiona replies sarcastically.

"Well, of course!" Tiffany says in surprise. (Pretended surprise, Vriré thinks.) "Can't we defeat _anything_?"

"You're hilarious. You do know that generally, even when the heros say that, it ends up badly? Ron said something similar about Sirius Black, and if Sirius _had_ been a Death Eater, look where that got him. A leg broken and Sirius with a wand, even when he _wasn't_ a D.E. Honestly, he wouldn't have been alive to be screaming about it once he was inside the Shrieking Shack. And Ron was Harry's best friend."

'What?' Vriré mouths in confusion.

"But I don't _mean_ it," Tiffany explains exasperatedly. "I was joking."

"Since when does it matter if you're joking or not?"

"Since I didn't kill you when I said I would," Tiffany rolls her eyes. "Remember? You fogot to put up a sound barrier and - "

Tiffany's voice is cut off, but Vriré knows she is still talking. She scowls at the two standing by the entrance to the room full Icebrood, which are starting to notice them.

A moment later, Tiffany and Fiona seem to reach an agreement, and both leap forward at the same time. The sound barrier drops and Vriré can hear them now.

Vriré is astounded at the teamwork they show, and they dispatch Icebrood quicker than either did alone.

Tiffany is getting hit by Fiona's magical, boon-granting orbs of light, which turn around and apply conditions to the Icebrood. Tiffany is whirling with Fiona's greatsword, hollering gleefully, while elbowing Icebrood, which injures them as Tiffany has knives strapped to her elbows. She is a whirlwind of destruction.

Fiona is zapping Icebrood with her own magical beams, and some of her clones are also casting magical orbs around, while others zap with the sword as well. Fiona's ten clones are ringing Tiffany, facing outward and attacking more Icebrood with ranged attacks, pulling them in to the center of the Icebrood death trap.

Tiffany lets out a shout and spins with her blade, killing the Icebrood ringing her and forcing the rest back. Another set of clones appear in the space between Tiffany and the Icebrood, and Tiffany shoots several dozen arrows at the ceiling. Fiona, with an effort (dropping all illusions), creates a whirlwind centered on Tiffany, pulling the Icebrood in, just in time to get stuck full of Tiffany's arrows before being slaughtered with Tiffany's deadly axe-dance.

Tiffany stops with an adrenaline-filled exhale, glancing around for more Icebrood. Fiona looks at her sternly, illusions (in a more dense formation, now) keeping the Icebrood at bay.

"You," she says, "are about to drop from exhaustion. Rest a minute. Adrenaline won't keep you going forever."

Tiffany smirks. "Beorn!"

The large bear appears and roars. Tiffany takes a long, deep breath, before grinning madly. "I'm fine, Fi."

Fiona looks at her suspiciously. Fatigue shouldn't be curable by Beorn's roar, but he had always shown hesitation if it wouldn't help, in the past. He hadn't, this time. She relents. "Okay, have at 'em."

Tiffany switches Beorn for Shelob, again, before Fiona's illusions spread out and let the Icebrood through. Tiffany spins. And spins and spins, slicing through any Icebrood with Fiona's greatsword. She lets the centrifugal force hold her blade up, and just spins, before jolting out of the spin and axe-dancing again.

Soon, the room is clear of Icebrood, and the only Icebrood that remain are the ones wandering in through the tunnels.

"That was the funnest fight I've ever had," Tiffany declares. "I'm definitely better at it than when we fought that band of bandits to get Mat free."

"Oh, for sure. And my mental capacity is much better. To think, ten illusions and I was curled up in a corner trying to maintain them all!" Fiona marvels.

"I think we cleared out the main center of Icebrood," Tiffany observes. "This is the most corrupted place I've seen in here, and the tunnels all seem to come here. Also, if there was more than that, I'm sure the quaggan would be getting more attacks than they did." then she speaks gibberish for a moment.

Fiona replies with gibberish, before switching back to Tyrian "Yeah, we probably cleared them out."

Tiffany talks again in gibberish, before saying, "Do you want to head home?"

"Understood. But - " Fiona speaks gibberish briefly. "Sure. Let's go see the quaggan first, though."

"We'll not tell them we broke the Icebrood control - look, the corruption seems to be fading already - because then they might not move when the eggs are ready. They should move to Lion's Arch, they'll be safe there. Or even inland lakes in Kryta, I've seen quaggan villages there. Anywhere but the Shiverpeaks. Safely out of the way of dragon corruption. They won't move if there's no threat." Tiffany speaks more gibberish.

Fiona responds in gibberish, pauses, and lets out a laugh. "Let's go."

Tiffany and Fiona waypoint out, and Vriré quickly follows, still quietly wondering what the gibberish is.

"Okay, it's still a while until it's time. Want to go hang out with quaggan?" Fiona asks.

"Sure. I was just getting to be friends with Shashoo - and I'm sure you want to catch up with Orinoo." Tiffany had added gibberish in the middle.

"Right," Fiona replies. "Let's go! Portaling time!"

Vriré huffs and waypoints to Travelen's steading, before beelining down to Falooaloo. She is in time to see the girls disappearing into the hole in the ice. But the physical, belief-generated illusion does not appear.

Knowing that the purpose for monitoring is to protect them from danger, and that they will be fine, Vriré returns to the Chantry, exchanging coded greetings with Kenton Castle, the undercover fisherman meant to distract bypassers from the cave.

She reports to the Initiating Council (Arer, Ingvil, and one or two others) before leaving the Chantry again. She waypoints to Divinity's Reach, taking a familiar path to the Seraph training barracks.

* * *

Vriré knocks on the door and waits. A moment later, the door is opened by a nervous looking young human in the Seraph uniform.

He blinks for a moment at the space where a human's head and torso would have been, before glancing down and seeing Vriré tapping her foot impatiently.

His eyes open wide and he takes a surprised step back at the sight of the asura wearing her weapons and imposing helm.

"Wh-what do you want?" he asks her nervously.

"I want to see Pierre DeGlasse, right away, please," Vriré replies briskly.

"Mesmer DeGlasse is busy, er..." the young man stammers uncertainly.

"Vriré," she replies. "Tell DeGlasse Vriré is here and wants to see him."

"Recruits aren't allowed to just go in to Mesmer DeGlasse, er, Vriré," the recruit says nervously, fidgeting.

"Tell him Vriré sent you!" Vriré snaps. "Go!"

The recruit turns and almost runs off, leaving Vriré standing in the doorway. Sighing, she enters the room - a tiny space for visitors, with a door (open) leading to the hallway - and leans against the wall with a huff upon seeing no asura-sized seats.

A full minute later, DeGlasse and a very surprised-looking recruit enter the room.

"Vriré!" DeGlasse says in delight. "It's been so long!"

"It has," Vriré replies with a glance at the recruit. "I see you have waited an unwaitable time, Pierre."

"Ah, I have. And I've trained the untrainable****, too," DeGlasse replies. "Come in to my office. Stay here, recruit."

DeGlasse leads Vriré down the hall and through a slightly wider door than the rest Vriré had seen in the hallway.

DeGlasse closes the door behind them, glancing at it a moment before taking a seat in front of a large desk (so that the asura doesn't have to look over it with him sitting behind) and invites Vriré to do the same, conjuring a chair mentally.

"So, what's up with the Order nowadays, Vriré?" he asks her cheerfully. "I'm cut off from most contact here, you see. Seraph don't naturally suspect other Seraph, but Captain Logan is the sort. He's more worldly-wise than most Seraph, anyway."

"The Order is fine, Pierre," Vriré replies. "It's who isn't in the Order that isn't fine."

"Oh?" Pierre DeGlasse raises an eyebrow. "How is that?"

"Aspiring Initiates, Pierre, very promising," Vriré begins. "Excellent women, the both of them, and they've got Vigil and Priory ties, too."

"Oho!" DeGlasse answers, his eyes lighting up. "We have too few of those."

"Yes. They listed your Captain as 'good friend' in the contact report this morning. Human women, and one of our Seraph contacts in Shaemoor, when spoken to, immediately went into a tirade of how lucky we are to have recruited the Heros of Shaemoor."

"The Heros of Shaemoor!" DeGlasse almost shouts. "The both of them?"

"Tiffany and Fiona Tassof, yes," Vriré replies, a touch irritably. "What did they do, drive off a herd of centaurs singlehandedly?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact," DeGlasse replies unexpectedly. "And a Greater Earth Elemental, too. There were Seraph there, but they dwarfed the Seraph's efforts. Except Captain Logan, of course."

"Oh," Vriré replies, leaning back in her chair. "I was monitoring them today - their assignment was Icebrood in the Shiverpeaks - and their prowess on the field of battle was unprecedented in Order Initiates, and they easily surpassed even the more average Agent-level members."

"That's even better than what I heard from the Seraph stationed there. Fiona Tassof's a fairly decent mesmer, as well."

"Fairly decent!" It is Vriré's turn to almost shout. "Fairly decent, Pierre, you must have heard an underestimated report!"

"No, no, that one came from Captain Logan himself, who the two spoke to personally. He does know them fairly well."

"Fairly decent, Pierre, and her able to sustain ten clones at once without breaking a sweat? I don't know much about mesmers, but tell me if that isn't a lot?"

"Ten!" DeGlasse hollers. " _Ten!_ Ten! TEN! Vriré, you must be joking! Tell me you're joking!"

"I'm not. She even commented on it to her sister, Tiffany. Something about a bandit fight and being curled up in a corner to maintain them all."

"Ah, I heard about the bandits," Pierre DeGlasse nods. "They attacked Salma District right after, and we were only able to counter it with the Seraph-in-training (was good field practice for the kittens) and the intel from those two. I even got the details on the preliminary fight."

"From Captain Thackeray again, am I right?"

"No, from an eyewitness," Pierre laughs. "Their sister, in fact. She'd been captured by bandits for the longest time, and had to do a speedy re-run through here to get back in shape. It was amazing, let me tell you. Awesome teamwork, but Tiffany Tassof tired rather quickly."

"She has quite an endurance pool now, Pierre," Vriré says, shaking her head. "You should have seen her. It's her sister, Fiona, I'm here about, DeGlasse."

"Eh?" DeGlasse raises his eyebrow in question.

"In the fight in which my admittedly already firm resolve to see them initiated turned into determination, she was wielding a lot of magic. I don't know what it was, but when I was in full sight, I wasn't. I was completely stealthed. Once that happened, even her magical balls of light stopped bouncing off of me."

"Ah, belief magic. One of the harder aspects for youngsters to learn," DeGlasse says, nodding. "I see what happened. She believed that they were alone - had they seen you?"

"No," Vriré replies.

"See, the way belief magic works," Pierre explains, "once you've mastered it, you believe something - like that I'm standing right next to myself - and then push magic into it." Pierre gestures, and a clone of himself appears. "The problem you're describing is when you're pushing a lot of magic into a strong belief - or, a lot of magic into several different beliefs - you can also accidentally push magic into other beliefs - like the fact that you are alone."

DeGlasse averts his eyes from Vriré, and a moment later, Vriré is stealthed. Pierre generates an illusion of a centaur, tossing an orb of magic at it. It bounces back to him, rather than the stealthed Vriré, even though she is closer. Canceling the magic flow into the belief that Vriré isn't there, Vriré reappears and the orb of magic bounces into her. Pierre DeGlasse cancels all the magic.

"See?"

"I understand," Vriré nods. "It must be hard to believe something is not when it's right in front of you."

"Oh, quite. If you have the mental excercises that all mesmers learn, however, it's simply a matter on focusing on something else - that floorboard, for example - and forgetting you have company. For Fiona Tassof, if she hadn't seen you and didn't know you were there, it would be an elementary feat to do."

"The thing is," Vriré says, getting to her main point, "Is that if I had been an assassin, I could have killed them, cloaked by their own magic."

"Ahh," Pierre says, rubbing his chin. "That is a problem. And I suppose you want me to train her?"

"That would be ideal," Vrir replies briskly.

"The thing is, I don't have the time for that, on top of my other Seraph-training responsibilities. A contact in the Seraph training academy seems important enough to the Order to keep me cut off from most contact, I doubt they'd want me to risk it on an admittedly already excellent Initiate."

"Hmm," Vriré mumbles, running through possible solutions in her head. "We could train them as Seraph, perhaps?"

"You said they've already got ties to the Vigil and Priory, multi-racial organizations. Plus, they are too... what's the word I'm looking for... they are assets, great assets to the Order. Too good to tie down doing Seraph undercover work."

"And you aren't?" Vriré queries. "But they are friends of Captain Thackeray. If they asked permission to be trained by you - or if they mentioned it, and led him along to think of the idea - oho! It could be their subtlety test! - and he consented, he could easily insert them into your training class without Seraph ties - except to Captain Thackeray, of course, but they're friends on their own merit, not favors."

"I doubt Captain Logan could easily ask a favor on terms of him doing them a favor, they're the Heros of Shaemoor. The good Captain does need to keep his image as a good Captain. That also means they cannot skip profession-testing, and that's dangerous."

"What do you mean?" Vriré asks.

"A person trying to join the Seraph as a recruit must be tested on profession. And after, profession is selected based on prowess, not preference. The Captain can't be seen as showing favoritism, however, even to the Heros of Shaemoor. I am good at accurately pinpointing Seraph opinion on things, being Seraph trainer," he adds as an aside. "They would have to purposely fail at the others, or else show a wholloping deal of prowess in their chosen profession."

"I am uncertain Fiona Tassof could fail at the mesmer test," Vriré states with some conviction. "Tiffany could slide in as warrior, but as she already has several animal companions - "

"Really?" DeGlasse asks. "More than two is rather rare, and a sign of a good ranger."

"A large brown bear half her size - and she's an average-size human - and a cave spider the size of a large dog. I didn't see any others, nor did she mention any, but she seemed rather attached to her bear, but considered the spider disposable enough to risk it to Icebrood corruption in a fight."

"A cave spider, disposable?" Pierre asks in awe. "I would go ahead and assume she has several more, cave spiders are rather rare, and even rarer to find young, tameable ones. And the bear is the animal on the ranger test. They'll both pass their chosen professions with flying colors, even doing their utmost on the others. Especially if Tiffany Tassof can answer how many animal companions she has, and proof. Unless they have a gift for learning things in a moment."

"So, their subtlety test can be asking Captain Thackeray for permission to learn - "

"And I'll act as if I've never heard the idea before, right?"

"Right. We'll tell them to figure out a way to get into training, and see how they go about it. After they get in - if they do - you put them through their paces in their chosen professions. And return the detailed results to me, I want to know all about these new recruits."

"Oh, certainly," DeGlasse replies. "I generally look for possible Whispers talent in the recruits, and if I see it I try to influence their profession. I also drop a Whispers code to root out the ones who are perceptive enough to notice, or the ones already in the Order. I am cut off from most contact."

"And after you've trained them, they'll be quite good at their chosen profession."

"Ahh, they'll have to drop training before the end," DeGlasse says, raising a hand and frowning. "If they are a part of the ceremony, the public will be in an uproar. The Heros of Shaemoor as Seraph... and if they're never seen, that'll pose a problem. Can't fake their death with Fiona's mesmeric abilities, either, because the public won't believe it. And what then if they want to continue doing their heroic deeds? They'd be prevented from coming to Kryta openly, and as members of inter-racial organizations that's very limiting."

"So they'd drop out early?" Vriré confirms.

"Aye, but they're already so far along that if I took young Fiona aside during the mesmer class that she'd be way too good for anyway, and train her, then at some point she could rejoin the mesmer class and... or something. Get herself into a spot of mischief and be thrown out of the academy - of course, Captain Logan would understand the need to keep them out of the actual Seraph ranks - but they'd have their learning."

"Mesmer!" Vriré cries. "They won't be seen at any ceremony!"

"Ah-ha! Vriré, you've hit upon something!" Pierre cries. "They can be another set of commoners - and it'll be good training, holding an illusion through a week or two of rough mental training at the same time - and, not being in famous personas, no one will notice when they don't show up at a Seraph post. We can always say they were assigned somewhere way out east."

"They did mention a want to assassinate the centaur leader," Vriré says dryly. "I'm sure they'd thank you to be stuck in northeastern Kryta battling centaurs. And so if any curious fella was looking, they'd find that out - hopefully be deterred by the far reaches and dangers - and then we fake their persona's deaths, and then they can resume being Tiffany and Fiona Tassof. That'd take a few weeks, though."

"I've got some hold on a couple o' good Seraph. And Captain Logan understands. We'd send them out along with some of them, to cover for when they have Order business. Or Vigil/Priory business, which they can cover for themselves for."

"Alright - so subtlety test by getting in, they disguise themselves as somebody else - they look different, different names - they graduate Seraph training, go to the centaur base and anonymously assassinate lead centaur, 'die' quickly after that, and resume activities as the Heros of Shaemoor. Right?"

"Right."

"You drop the Whispers code in the beginning of the next few starter classes, Pierre, and you'll know by the answer whom they are. Another test of subtlety will be in their answer. If they can't refrain from blowing their cover, then too bad. They'll come after they've been fully initiated - the subtlety test is the last one. I'll monitor them for that, too, and decide if they should be in. It should be easy enough to retract 'I want DeGlasse to train me' if they fail."

"Alright. Now, I've got a class coming up, best not to blow my cover. We've got that plan hammered down - I can mention to Captain Logan that I have a spot of free time on my hands, might make him more inclined to say yes to the Heros, and he doesn't know I'm in the Order - let's act on it. Time to train the kittens!"

"I'll see you... to speak about them after their faked 'death' is pulled off successfully, or after their subtlety test is completed successfully," Vriré replies.

The two Whispers members salute, before Vriré leaves the Seraph Academy compound while Pierre DeGlasse goes in the opposite direction. (of course she knows how to leave, she got in, didn't she?)

Vriré returns to the Chantry just after Tiffany and Fiona return, when the sun is a hand above the horizon.

* * *

 _Author's Notes:_

* Vriré does not know what a sled is, because they are new to Tyria.

** I did not provide translations for Tiffany and Fiona's Tyrian-based Shilgni, as the chapter is from Vriré's perspective, and _she_ doesn't know what's happening! For laughs, Tiffany and Fiona are discussing what if someone was listening in on them and was wondering what they were saying.

*** Pierre DeGlasse is Icarus Isambard's intellectual property. He is in Icarus's story, 'The Engineer and the Ingénu'. I asked Icarus if I could use DeGlasse in TR, and he consented.

**** Whispers code. If you speak to certain NPCs in the open world as a Whispers member, there will be options to say such things as code. You'll hear more about that later on.

So, how did you like it?


	13. Chapter 13: Honest Whispers

SOLDIERS, SCHOLARS, AND SPIES

* * *

Summary: Tiffany and Fiona return to the Chantry of Secrets and are given their next assignment. Vriré visits a friend in Rata Sum, and discuss inconsequential things. The next day, Tiffany and Fiona meet with their Earth family and friend. Vriré is late enough to miss that discussion in her monitoring role. She wouldn't have understood it anywy - the whole conversation took place in english.

* * *

Chapter thirteen: Honest Whispers

* * *

 _Author's Notes:_

Okay, back to Tiffany's perspective! This chapter is mostly filler, but it's necessary.

The chapter name comes from the fact that... ah, you'll get it later on.

 _ **Okay, here's the story now:**_

* * *

Tiffany nervously steps inside what she has come to think of as the 'Initiating Room' with Fiona.

The man who had first brought them into this room, whom Tiffany still does not know the name of (Arer), a female norn, a female sylvari, a grouchy charr (Tiffany still can't tell the difference between male and female charr), and Bor, off to the side, are waiting for them.

"We - " she started nervously, not knowing what to do, but the man interrupts her.

"We know what you have accomplished," he tells her.

Tiffany glances meaningfully at Fiona. ' _Good thing we didn't do all that suspicious talk in Tyrian!_ ' she thinks in relief. ' _Shilgni is the best!_ '

Just then, the door opens and a female asura wearing two swords crossed on her back, one hilt sticking above each shoulder, two axes at her sides (much like Tiffany's) and a helm that matches her armor, which looks light (for heavy armor) and leaves freedom of movement to the wearer. (A/N: Asura cultural armor, tier one, Galvanic Armor.) It also matches the Whispers colors - red with a touch of gold, although it is mostly silver.

The asura enters the room with a purposeful stride, dominating the room just by her presence. She stands by the rest of the unknown people, seemingly not daunted in the least by the fact that she is, apparently, late.

"You have proven your worthiness to join the Order of Whispers," the charr states.

"But you do have your failings," the male human counters.

"Everyone does," Tiffany and Fiona say together. "The difference is," Tiffany continues, "between those who learn from failed attempts or from being informed, and those who blindly ignore and deny it."

The man raises his eyebrows. The asura shifts slightly.

"Can you guess what problems we have seen in you?" the man asks. The norn glances at him quickly.

"We did not notice we were being watched," Fiona replies simply. "Perhaps we even aided it. I know I was using a lot of belief magic, at one point."

"If you would inform me of my... shortcomings. I do not think myself perfect, but what flaws have I demonstrated on this mission?" Tiffany asks, aware of the eyes on her.

"Your sensitivity to cold," the norn says blandly. "It required quite some time to get you used to cold water, and even then you desperately wanted to get out."

"Oh," Tiffany replies, thinking of the cold waters of Falooaloo and involuntarily shivering. "How could I fix that? I do wish to be able to visit the quaggan some more, without somebody forcing me underwater."

"You are wise," the norn commends her, "But we will speak of it another time."

Tiffany nods nervously.

The man glances at his fellows, and one of the asura's ears twitches. Bor, who had mostly stayed out of the conversation, raises an eyebrow.

"Wait here," the norn tells them, before turning and going into the room Tiffany and Fiona had been interviewed in, earlier. The rest of the... team follow her.

Fiona conjures chairs again.

The two converse in low tones and Shilgni (without much thought, the Tyrian variant) for a time, discussing the ramifications of there having been someone who followed them, and tailed them enough to know of their exploits, down to Tiffany's sensitivity to cold.

" **Lucky we spoke in Shilgni about game stuff,** " Tiffany mentions. " **Wonder who it was.** "

" **I bet we confused them a ton by mentioning GaHoole. And if whoever it was can't portal like I can, I pity them. Also, the sleds.** "

" **Sleds?** " Tiffany asks. She hadn't heard this before.

" **The quaggan gather on the mountain. When they were done, we sledded down. That was yesterday, but I did it again today.** "

" **Oh.** " Tiffany pauses. " **I doubt it was the asura.** "

" **Why?** "

Tiffany sighs in thought. "Well, the asura came in after we did. She didn't speak to the others, but they knew what we had done. Unless they have a soundless communicating system, it wasn't her. It would have to have been one of the others, for them all to know."

"Unless she came in between." Fiona suggests. "We spent a very long time in Falooaloo, they could have just left early and informed the rest of them."

"In that case, still the asura came after we did. Why would she be out?"

"Why wouldn't she?" Fiona asks. "Personally, when I came out of the cave the first time, I saw a little shadow. And sunlight reflected on _something_ , too. If that was the person watching us, and if it was one of those six, it was her."

"Ah, but what if wasn't one of those six?" Tiffany counters.

"That opens up a whole new realm of possibilities, doesn't it?" Fiona agrees. "However, it was certainly asura, a _very_ short human, or perhaps a skritt."

"What about a quaggan?" Tiffany asks. "They were foraging. Maybe one of them saw something?"

"It was moving too quick to be a quaggan," Fiona says. "Although... it could have been a corrupted one. Corrupted ones move much faster."

"They do," Tiffany agrees. "Really, if we're moving into the realm of corrupted, it really could've been anyone."

"And I'm sure than unless the Order tells us, we'll never know," Fiona agrees.

After five minutes of silence, the door opens and they all reenter the room. Fiona shatters the chairs as she and Tiffany stand.

"Your next test is on subtlety," the man announces.

"And you're _telling_ us?" Fiona asks shrewdly.

"Due to the nature of the test, yes. You might blow it completely, otherwise. This test is normally highly personalized, and depending on the test, the testees are told what it is about or not."

"You both have room for improvement, battle-wise," the charr says, picking up from the man. "You - if you suceed - are going to be trained by one of our mesmers, Agent Pierre DeGlasse. Both of you, if Tiffany cares for it. Do you?"

"It depends," Tiffany says evenly. "Is there anything I can learn from a mesmer, not being one myself?"

"He runs an academy for all classes," the norn counters.

"Except engineer," the charr says with a huff, and Tiffany notices something that looks like a mini, portable telescope attached over the charr's eye, held in place with a strap of leather. Engineer, she supposes.

"Well, he has that one kid who beat the Captain in duel to be able to learn engineering," Bor adds.

"It's irrelevant," the norn says dismissively. "The point is, you can learn from him, Tiffany. Your job is to convince Captain Thackeray to let you. Agent DeGlasse is highly undercover - it was a risk going to him about this test," here, she quickly looks with a half-glare, half nervous glance, at the asura.

"Why would we need Captain Thackeray's permission?" Fiona asks.

"DeGlasse runs the Seraph Training Academy," the sylvari informs them. "He can't train you personally, or he would. Due both to not having the time, his highly undercover work, and the value of having the Seraph trainer in the Order. If you can successfully get permission from Captain Thackeray _without_ telling him that you, and _especially_ DeGlasse, are in the Order, than you can enter the academy. Captain Thackeray will cover for you if any questions arise. However, you cannot look like yourselves. The Seraph, not to mention the citizens of Kryta, would get in an uproar if you went to the Seraph training academy, and especially if you then failed to show up as a Seraph anywhere."

"Different names and everything?" Fiona checks.

"Yes. It will also give you practice in the art of undercover work - as the famous Hero of Shaemoor, you might need it when working in Kryta."

"I understand, er..." Tiffany answers.

"Arer," the man introduces.

"Ingvil," the norn replies.

"Bor," Bor says, and Fiona rolls her eyes.

"Vriré," the asura tells them shortly.

"Ornora," the sylvari smiles.

"Asrink Pyreshield," the charr grunts.

"The Seraph Captain can _not_ know or even suspect the Order's involvement," Arer instructs. "Other than that, do as you will. Please try not to get yourself stuck training with somebody else entirely. Report back here when you have successfully gotten permission and consent to enter the Seraph training academy."

"Excuse me, but should we mention a connection to Agent DeGlasse?" Fiona asks.

"No. Agent DeGlasse does not know you, and will not act like he does. You will be further updated when you return, upon suceeding - or failing - to convince the Captain. Dismissed."

Tiffany and Fiona turn and leave the room.

"There's the... party tomorrow to celebrate the détente with the charr, Logan will be there," Tiffany reminds Fiona. "We can speak to him then."

"Good idea."

Leaving the Chantry, the two girls waypoint home.

* * *

"Should we think up our aliases?" Tiffany suggests as they climb the stairs to their bedroom.

"Sure. Names first?"

"Yeah. You want to go by Catava?"

"Ehh, that sounds more like my - more like a charr name, kind of."

"More Ascalonian, to me," Tiffany shrugs. "We could be of Ascalonian descent. And your nickname could be Catty."

"Okay, Catava what?"

"Well, it can't be any of our usual pseudonyms." Tiffany reasons. "Starts with S like normal?"

"No reason to," Fiona shrugs. "I'm quite sure the Order has some plan for our characters to die somehow, so it's not like we'll be using it again."

"Characters?" Tiffany replies quickly.

"Well, we're not going to be ourselves, and that's what a character is... kinda?"

"I guess. So what'll my name be?"

"Didn't we come up with a cool name like Catava for you a while back?"

"I know we did, but I don't remember it now. Comes of not using the name, I suppose." Tiffany shrugs.

"Suppose," Fiona replies without thinking.

"Hey!" Tiffany says brightly. "I could be Kasmeer and you could be - "

"Tiffanee!" Fiona groans.

"What? I like the name Kasmeer!" Tiffany defends, aware that there could be somebody tailing them.

"But - but..." Fiona says, and trails off, unable to think of a protestation that fits. " **Kasmeer is** _ **Kasmeer's**_ **name!** "

"And that's how I thought it up," Tiffany replies. " **And we have to use human names, too. I'd prefer to be a Kasmeer than a Marjory or** _ **Logan**_ **. I feel more like answering to the name Kasmeer than Marjory, too.** **You could even be Marjory.** "

" **Wouldn't that be too suspicious?** " Fiona sighs.

" **No, Kasmeer and Marjory don't even know each other yet,** " Tiffany replies. "You can be Catava if you like, though, and I'll be Kasmeer. Catava and Kasmeer. It sounds odd, but we'll get used to it. Now, should we be family or not? Hee, this is fun."

"Let's not." Fiona decides. "How about..."

" **I stole the name Kasmeer, we could easily steal another. But I really can't name myself Kasmeer Meade, no way, and it would be too suspicious to name myself Kasmeer Delaqua, especially if we feel like telling them we did this, in however long. Thackeray is a famous name, can't do that. No Tassof, either.** "

"Hey!" Fiona says suddenly. "Inafit!"

"Yeah?" Tiffany replies automatically to her name in Shilgni.

"I'm not talking - no! You can be Kasmeer Inafit!"

"That sounds awesome!" Tiffany replies. "And you can be Catava Anoif?"

"Which sounds less cool, but it'll do," Fiona nods. "Now, appearances." she sits on the edge of her bed and generates an illusion. "I'm Ascalonian, right?"

"Of Ascalonian descent," Tiffany corrects.

"What - eh - whichever," Fiona says. "What does that look like?"

"I have no idea. How about your imaginary parents named you after an Ascalonian friend? Sure. Let's have different hair color, though. I can't be blond, however."

"Why not?"

" **Kasmeer's blond. Don't want too many coincidences.** "

"Oh alright. You can't be brown, because that's your natural hair color, so how about red?"

"Ehh, we'll go with that. Normal length and style, though, I don't even want to think about having odd hair length."

"Okay. I'll be... I can be a blonde. Eye color?"

"I'm a natural brown, you're a natural blue - it would be nice to try out green."

"I can be grayish," Fiona decides.

"Ehh," Tiffany replies, looking at Fiona's eyes. "You're already a really light blue. You should be green, I can be gray."

"Alright. Height?"

"Normal height, _please_ ," Tiffany begs.

As the girls construct their aliases, Vriré watches through the window from the roof of the neighboring house, her large ears enabling her to hear everything spoken in the room in the house next to her.

After the two have finished creating their pseudonyms and told each other good night, Vriré leaves the rooftop.

* * *

She returns home to Rata Sum and checks in with Cirra, her armorsmith, about a warming feature in an aquabreather. Cirra has a lot more time (and that sort of technical education) than Vriré has, and so Vriré leaves that to her.

The two have a good evening together, having a couple drinks and reminiscing about times before Vriré had left to spend most of her time doing things for the Order.

"It's too bad Trappu and Dloxxox didn't survive," Vriré mentions.

"Yeah, they passed not long after you left for the Far Shiverpeaks, in 1313. I was in the Black Citadel at the time, learning armorsmithing from one of the masters there. I know that Drekk was in Hoelbrak then, too. Maybe they died of loneliness?"

"I doubt it. Trappu and Dloxxox were hardy people, what with Cirra being a mortificator and Dloxxox being a Dynamics graduate, and a builder."

"Perhaps something fell on Dloxxox?" Cirra proposes. "I mean, there are some idiots in the Dynamics group."

"And then maybe Trappu died of grief." Vriré suggests. "They did love each other so, I wouldn't be surprised if they wound up having some progeny later on."

"Progeny. The thought of Trappu having any is hilarious." Cirra giggles. "Although, any progeny of her and Dloxxox would be exceptionally intelligent. Trappu and Dloxxox were both pretty intelligent, and them having progeny? Too bad Trappu never seemed the sort, or it might've happened."

"Speaking of hilarious," Vriré says, changing the conversation. "I know Blipp kept trying and trying to build that thing he wanted to make - what was it - he called it an Inifity Ball? That tells the future? Even for believing in never giving up, trying to tell the future is hilarious."

"Not as outlandish as the rumor I heard about Zid. He apparently has a prejudice about Synergetics graduates."

"Why?"

"Ha! He thinks they don't know enough about inventing things," Cirra snorts.

The conversation turns to their respective jobs - Vriré as a Whispers Lightbringer, and Cirra as an armorsmith.

"I get the most curious customers sometimes," Cirra comments. "The other day I got two human Vigil recruits asking for the most gaudy stuff I had! To show off their Vigil status, they said."

"Speaking of human recruits, the Order has two excellently promising ones," Vriré comments. "They are excellent in battle - one is a ranger, the other a mesmer. They have excellent teamwork and subtle signals, and have excellent reaction time.

"Hmmph! I threw a spare bit of plating for some heavy armor I was crafting at those customers, and they saw it coming for two seconds before screaming their heads off and running. Their excuse was that their armor would protect them."

Vriré snorts with laughter. "Some Vigil."

* * *

"Dungeon day!" Tiffany hollers, bouncing up from her bed. She runs across the room and pushes Fiona out.

"Dungeon day!" she repeats.

"What're we doin' in a dungeon?" Fiona mumbles sleepily. "We didn' break the law, did we?"

Tiffany bursts out in peals of laughter and rolls on the floor, laughing her head off.

"Whaat?" Fiona grouches, rolling onto her stomach and looking over the edge of her bed at Tiffany on the floor. "Whasso funny?"

"Your sleepy-head!" Tiffany roars, still laughing. "I think you've lost yourself to Tyria finally!"

"What d'ya mean?" Fiona asks, sitting up and rubbing her eyes clear of the sleepiness.

"You - " Tiffany starts laughing all over again, and it is several minutes before she is calm _er_ , at least.

Meanwhile, Deborah opens the door with a sigh. "What'd you do, Fiona?"

"I don't even know! All I did was be sleepy. I suppose if _she_ was sleepy enough she could find that funny, but this hasn't happened before." Fiona shrugs.

" **It - it was** ," Tiffany says around her laughter, telling Fiona that the funniness comes from a not-native-to-Tyria-topic.

"It's probably nothing," Fiona tells Deborah. "I don't think she's laughed in a while, and, for example, before a 'lets-see-who-laughs-first' contest, she'll laugh at nothing for a minute so she'll be less likely to laugh during the contest. It's kinda crazy, but I suppose she's getting her giggles out now."

"Oh," Deborah replies, raising a quizzical eyebrow in Tiffany's direction.

"Don't forget we've got that celebration thing at Caudecus's Manor later," Fiona reminds Deborah.

" **Dungeon!** " Tiffany hollers mid-laugh.

"Right. What'll you do in the meantime?" Deborah asks.

"Probably visit Mat and Ayla. We've not been seeing them much these last couple weeks, and it's a day off."

Tiffany calms down a bit, but she still giggles every now and then. "Also, we should see if we can find Tangwen and the others. I'm sure - " she stops short for a moment. "I'm sure they've missed us. And I'm sure running a farm near Ebonhawke is a lot easier now that the peace treaty's been signed with the charr."

"Well, I've got to report in to my Lieutenant, see you later!" Deborah says as she leaves the room.

"And?" Fiona raises her eyebrow at Tiffany.

"You _said_ , when I said 'dungeon day', 'why are we in a dungeon? Did we break the law?'" Tiffany starts laughing again, not as bad as before but still laughing.

"Oh," Fiona says with a giggle. "That is funny. Now, lets go see Mat and Ayla, hm?"

"Alright. Let's go," Tiffany says, leaping into the air and vanishing in a puff of blue.

"That one was cool," Fiona observes, before somersaulting through the door and waypointing on the threshold.

* * *

And continues somersaulting through the waypoint, and right into Falcon.

"Youch!" he hollers, performing an acrobatic maneuver that he could never perform in real life (that was probably him dodging).

"Hey, it hurt me worse," Fiona complains good-naturedly. "You didn't even feel it."

"Uuhh, what?" Falcon asks. "Are you talking in Shilgni again?"

"Nno," Fiona says, before brightening. "Oh! I was accidentally talking in Tyrian."

"Whaat?" Falcon asks, mouth hanging open (or would if he was there, and not his character. Tiffany can tell from his tone of voice).

"Yep," Tiffany says with a teasing smile. "Everyone talks it here. Is everyone else here?"

"Nate's lagging behind in packing, but Harrison should be on in a minute," Falcon replies. "Tangwen said she ran into you the other day?"

"Yep. Hey, what level are you?" Tiffany asks.

"Uhh, forty-five, why?"

"Perfect!" Tiffany says, grinning gleefully. "Did you get any mail about Caudecus's Manor?"

"I don't think so," Falcon replies doubtfully.

"Check," Fiona instructs.

"Yeah, okay, here it is: Your Herald. An Invitation to Caudecus's Manor. Hail, mighty hero!" Falcon puts on a grandiose voice. "I hope that you are well! The neighborhood is buzzing with excitement about you! I've had word that there will be a party celebrating the charr-slash-human peace negotiations in Queensdale. The reception will be at the Manor of Lord Caudecus, overlooking the shire of Beetletun, and will be attended by diplomats from all the major races. Captain Logan Thackeray is concerned for the safety of Queen Jennah, will be attending, and will need support. A hero of your merit should attend the..." Falcon stops for a moment. "Hey Dad, how is s-o-i-r-e-e pronounced?" a beat later, he continues, "soiree and offer what help you can. —Thanks, Your Herald. PS - We understand that Zojja will be attending as well as part of the asura delegation, but we don't know why. She is always a wild card, so be cautious."

"That sounds right, but less information than we have, and sent by somebody else," Tiffany observes. "Uzolan, Caudecus's personal inventor, will be revealing an invention of his after the main part of the party."

"So what's so important about this stuffy ol' grownup celebration?"

"It's a dungeon," Tiffany replies. "Both Logan and Zojja will be there, and the Queen gets captured, and we save her. But you're supposed to do it with five people, and we only have me, Fiona, Deborah, and Forgal (maybe). Oh and Captain Thackeray. I'm allowed to invite four people, and I've got Fiona and Deborah. You want to come?"

"Sure. Can Harrison come too?"

"Yeah. If he's past a certain level, I think it's forty-five. Or, that might be the explorable version... just have him check his mail."

"Check my what?" asks Harrison popping up beside them.

"Your mail," Tiffany repeats.

"Harrison, right there," Falcon says.

"Oh, this mail button?"

"Yeah. See, click it... Caudecus's Manor... yeah."

"That sounds weird," Tiffany declares. "You're talking, but you're not acting the talking, like normal."

"You must be the right level, then," Fiona remarks. "You can come. Just _do not_ mention real life, _do not_ mention you're playing a game, and really just follow us around, okay?"

"Okay," Harrison replies. "Are Mom and Dad and Tangwen coming?"

"Ah well, they're not high enough level," Tiffany explains. "I've got fifty Tomes of Knowledge on my account, but you've already said you can't log into that."

"Fifty?" Falcon asks incredulously.

"Yeap. Too bad it's a waste." Fiona confirms.

"How do we get in party?" Tiffany asks suddenly. "We need to be in a party for it to work."

"I could try sending an invite...?" Falcon says.

"Oh look," Tiffany says sarcastically. "A blinking button appeared in the corner of my screen inviting me to a party with Falcon Swis. I wonder how I click on it?"

"Really?" Falcon asks eagerly.

"No, _not_ really," Tiffany replies, rolling her eyes.

"Aww, man," Harrison says disappointedly.

"Falcon Swis, I invite you to join my party," Fiona says. Falcon remains silent.

"Wait, wait, it shouldn't have to be," Tiffany protests. "For us, we just walk in to Caudecus's Manor, right? We don't need a party!"

"But they need to go through the portal," Fiona counters with a frown.

"Right," Tiffany says, her forehead creased in thought. "Hey! The kids that were running around hollering 'whatever' and Tangwen existed in the game, if we can get into Caudecus's Manor without going through a portal they should too! This seems like a separate server, it's only you guys that play here."

"Wanna try it?" Falcon asks. "What waypoint?"

"Beetletun, probably, but I doubt the gates are open yet," Tiffany replies. "We'll just have to wait and see."

"Alright," Falcon replies doubtfully.

"Hey Tiffany, Fiona!" Tangwen says, popping up on top of the waypoint.

"Tangwen! It's been a long time! Not counting yesterday, of course." Tiffany says happily.

"What have you been getting up to?" Tangwen asks.

"A lotta fighting," Tiffany answers promptly. "We're, ah, trying to join the Order of Whispers..."

"Join the what?" Harrison asks with an amused tone.

"The Order of Whispers," Fiona repeats. "We're kind of used to talking in Tyrian."

"You had to learn a whole new language?" Tangwen asks, surprised.

"We kinda cheated," Tiffany says. "I mean, every time somebody said something it was translated. So if somebody said 'hi, Tiffany!' it would sound normal, but then layered over top, an echo, it would say 'hi, Tiffany!' and with that happened with everyone - even each other - we really didn't have to do much 'learning'. Fiona, I'll say 'hi, Fiona' in english, you layer it with Tyrian, okay?" Fiona nods. "Hi, Fiona!"

"Hi, Fiona!" Fiona echoes in Tyrian.

"That sounded awesomely cool," Falcon declares.

"So what've you guys been up to?"

"Nothing much," Falcon shrugs. "same old, same old."

"You went on a family reunion," Fiona points out.

"So? We've done those before. Still same stuff," Falcon shrugs.

"Oh. How about you, Tangwen? Blueberry season any interesting?"

"Not really," Tangwen shrugs. "What've you been getting up to, besides fighting?"

"Saving quaggans from mass disaster!" Fiona volunteers.

"We're going to a celebration later," Tiffany offers. "It's a dungeon, story mode, (which is all we can do, I suppose,) and I can invite four people. Fiona, Deborah, Falcon and Harrison, and that's all, isn't it. We have to wait and see if they can get in, though. The game might not let them, since we can't get in a party. And you have to be level forty."

"In which case," Fiona continues, "we'll have to make do with who we have."

"Logan and Forgal will most likely be there," Tiffany adds. "And I'm still trying to puzzle out where Countess Anise was when I played it in-game, but if she's there that will help."

* * *

 _Author's Notes:_

Slightly shorter than normal, but it's compensated for two more chapters immediately after! Have fun with Tiffany and Fiona!


	14. Chapter 14: Social Interactions

SOLDIERS, SCHOLARS, AND SPIES

* * *

Summary: Tiffany, Fiona, and Deborah attend the celebration at Caudecus's Manor. Tiffany suspects Monique DeLana of being a Separatists, and that Uzolan is in with her. She encounters Forgal during the party.

* * *

Chapter fourteen: Social Interactions

* * *

 _Author's Notes:_

This chapter is the normally 'boring' part of the dungeon, talking to everybody. However, it's not boring here!

 _ **Okay, here's the story now:**_

* * *

Later, around the early afternoon, Tiffany and Fiona arrive in Beetletun. Because Tiffany insists, Fiona covers them with an illusion while they check to see if the 'dungeon' has started yet.

The gates (normally shut tight) to Caudecus's Manor are standing open, and an elderly man ss standing by the gate, seemingly greeting those who came to the celebration.

Tiffany glances at Falcon and Harrison (who can see them just fine, due to being players).

"Nope. Just the dungeon portal," Falcon whispers.

"Alright," Tiffany replies.

Just then, Deborah approaches the gate, before pausing a good distance away, with a slight frown.

"She's waiting for us," Tiffany tells Fiona. "Come on."

Deborah greets them with a relieved smile, and the three proceed into the manor.

"Welcome to Beetlestone Manor," the elderly man greets them. "The celebration is in the central court."

"Thank you," Tiffany says absentmindedly.

The central court, as it turns out, is through a small, grassy area and into the manor itself, which opens up a little ways onward, through a short hall.

In the courtyard beyond, Logan and Queen Jennah are speaking to each other in low tones. Tiffany notes with some alarm that Countess Anise is not with the queen.

"True," Logan is saying. "I just wonder if he is loyal to the head it rests upon."

The Queen sighs, before she is called away by another guest.

"What are you concerned about, Logan?" Tiffany asks, veiling her nervousness as best she can.

"I suspect Caudecus to be in cahoots with the Separatists," Logan replies in a low tone. "Ask the guests about him. And be subtle. Oh, hello, Sergeant Tassof. I'm glad to see you out and about. I suppose Tiffany invited you?"

"Yes, sir," Deborah replies, saluting and reverting to Seraph mode.

Just then, a shout draws Logan's attention, and he excuses himself.

Tiffany glances at Fiona, then at Deborah. Tiffany jerks her head to a more quiet corner to explain.

"Logan thinks that Minister Caudecus is out to get the Queen. It's nothing new," Tiffany whispers quickly, for both Fiona (who never played the dungeons) and Deborah's benefit. "Our task now is to see what other people think. Start up casual conversation, try to figure out their opinions on things. Got it?"

"Understood," Deborah replies. "I'm good at getting suspects to talk, in the field. I am Seraph, after all."

"Underlined by the Logan calling you Sergeant," Fiona replies with a laugh."Let's get this information for him."

Deborah grimaces at the repeated use of Logan's first name (rather than 'Captain Thackeray') but nods, before striding away and striking up a conversation with the charr ambassador.

"I'll go talk to that odd asura over there," Fiona tells Tiffany. "He seems grumpy."

"Sure. I'll go talk to Zojja," Tiffany replies, and the two split up.

"Make yourself useful if you're going to be around here," Zojja snaps as soon as Tiffany approaches her.

"What kind of useful?" Tiffany queries.

"Keep your eyes open and be quiet," Zojja replies. "You look like you're looking for someone yourself, as well."

"Who am I looking for?" Tiffany replies, glancing around. "I'm doing a favor for Logan," she adds, not bothering to ask if that is what Zojja is doing.

"Someone is using Snaff's discoveries," Zojja snarls quietly. "I tracked some of them here. Uzolan is high on my suspect list! And Logan is useless. He still has stars in his eyes for his queen."

"The road is long from Rata Sum to Kryta," Tiffany says, seeing an opening. Zojja glances at her a tad suspiciously. "What discoveries should I keep an eye out for?" Tiffany queries, ignoring Zojja's remarks about Logan with a wince.

"Humans stole of his old golem plans. And Uzolan is a fraud."

"Don't let Uzolan hear you say that, or he might flee," Tiffany advises. "I'll help - I wish you well in your endeavor." Tiffany disappears into the meagre crowd before Zojja can reply. ' _I'm going to have to ask Falcon for quotes from the members of Destiny's Edge, off the wiki. This dungeoning business is begging for them. And that one from Eir - and the one from Caithe - are all I remember. Hopefully Zojja doesn't think I know about the group's... failing. It's hard now that I know some of them._ '

Espying a sylvari standing near a pool of water, Tiffany makes her way over.

"Hello," Tiffany introduces. "I'm Tiffany."

"I'm Dagonet," he says. ' _One of the Firstborn'_ Tiffany remembers. "Quite interesting people, humans, don't you think?"

"Oh, yes," Tiffany agrees. "They don't go through the Dream like sylvari do. I think the Dream is quite special, myself."

"But you're a human, yourself," Dagonet replies, confused.

"I'm quite interested in sylvari, as you are in humans," Tiffany replies, deciding it best not to mention that she considers herself half-sylvari.

"I see," the sylvari replies.

"How do you like the celebration?" Tiffany queries, changing the topic.

"It is amusing to see the Captain swooning over the Queen," Dagonet observes.

"I find it a rather... important part of his personality," Tiffany agrees. "Imagine a Logan who didn't care for her?"

"I don't know your Captain as well as I do, apparently," Dagonet replies. "I will have to speak with him."

Tiffany looks after the sylvari as he leaves with a grimace. ' _Sorry, Logan,_ ' she thinks.

"Ebonhawke is quite different from here," says a woman, approaching her.

"Peace must be odd for you," Tiffany agrees.

"The charr aren't to be trusted," the woman replies, shaking her head.

"Why do you think that?" Tiffany queries.

"They drove us out of Ascalon, and didn't even leave Ebonhawke be until the treaty was signed! And even then, they attacked the negotiations at the last minute!" the woman explodes.

"I believe you have heard of the human organization of Separatists?" Tiffany asks politely.

"Yes," the woman is suddenly cautious.

"Then you must know there is a mirror organization of charr, known as the Renegades," Tiffany replies. "I once wondered if the Separatists and the Renegades would band together, as they serve the same purpose, before realizing that such a happening would defeat the purpose, and just prove how alliances benefit. The charr did stop attacking once the treaty was signed, and I have known some very nice charr."

"Some of the brutes may act nice," the woman replies stiffly.

"And we drove them out of Ascalon first, you know," Tiffany replies, wondering if she found the Separatists that Logan suspects Caudecus of being in cahoots with. "It's their homeland."

"They are bloodthirsty brutes," the woman repeats. "Their whole society is organized around war. If the charr decided to attack - as they did when they attacked Ascalon - we couldn't stand against them. They must have viewed us as annoyances before the treaty was signed, not to crush us. And they constantly wage war on the gosts of Ascalon, instead of leaving them be."

"The ghosts don't leave the charr be," Tiffany counters. "And wouldn't you prefer tentative peace over war? Like you said, if the charr decide to attack, we can't hold off very long. They are very honorable, you know. Strict military rules, at the least. And I'm sure that holds for military peace treaties, as well."

"Let us speak of something else," the woman says, with a touch of desperation in her voice.

"I don't mind," Tiffany replies, nodding. "What are your opinions on the other racial Ambassadors?"

"Typical of their races," the woman says dismissively. "The sylvari is curious, the norn is drunk, and the asura - Phlunt - seems confused."

' _Phlunt is here? I'm going to have to avoid speaking to him,_ " Tiffany thinks. ' _I might accidentally show a predisposed dislike of him. I'll be careful._ ' "Why would an asura be confused?" she asks.

"I'd be confused," the woman shrugs. "If I had to attend one of their 'prestigious colleges'."

"Good point," Tiffany agrees with a laugh. "I never got your name, I'm afraid?"

"Monique DeLana," the woman introduces herself. ' _Oh, I thought she was going to say Delaqua, at first,_ ' Tiffany thinks to herself. ' _My ears..._ ' "And you are?"

"Tiffany Tassof, Hero of Shaemoor number two. You'll have to speak to my sister to find number one." Tiffany jokes.

DeLana's mouth tightens momentarily, as if holding in a frown, before nodding imperceptibly. "Does the number two mean anything?"

"Oh, no. It's just me not presuming that I am elevated above my sister, even though I am older. I'm not sure you could find much of a difference in our Hero status. Except that I was taken ill the other day, and Fiona continued on, helping quaggans in the Shiverpeaks."

DeLana nods. "The queen seems to have left her bodyguard - Countess Anise - at home today."

"I noticed that, as well," Tiffany adds, carefully keeping her face neutral. "Speaking of the queen, what do you think of her?"

"We are loyal to her. Regardless of her determination to work with the charr... for as long as she lives."

' _We? Who is 'we'?_ ' Tiffany wonders. ' _As long as she lives... hmm. I wonder if the Separatists - for DeLana is undoubtedly one - plan on ending her life early? Of course they are, that's the purpose of the dungeon. But a keen mind would have picked that easily. DeLana doesn't know how to uphold a disguise._ '

"I agree," Tiffany says cautiously. "I see my sister calling me. I will see you later, DeLana."

"Farewell, Hero of Shaemoor," DeLana replies with a smile that unnerves Tiffany. DeLana heads towards Uzolan and starts talking to him in low tones.

Tiffany makes her way to Fiona, who is talking to the norn ambassador, Sigfast, picking up Deborah, who is speaking with one of the servants, on the way.

Tiffany quickly updates the two on her findings, before Fiona and Deborah add their conclusions. Caudecus is good at remaining neutral, Phlunt is irritated at the amount of inventors, Uzolan is mysterious, the charr ambassador is rather observant, Sigfast is drunk (like DeLana said) and the servants are rather gossipy, the only important piece of information from them is the fact that Uzolan and DeLana have been spending time together, which matches what Tiffany knows (that Uzolan tries to kidnap the queen), but she acts like it furthers her suspicions with a nod.

"If the Separatists are here, DeLana is one of them, and Uzolan is now on my suspects list," she informs them.

"I'll keep an eye out," Deborah assures Tiffany and Fiona. "And I saw a norn - not the ambassador, a different guy - who seemed rather... out of place."

"That could be Forgal, I'll go speak to him. One of you could try to get more information out of Uzolan or DeLana. I'll enlist Forgal, if I can (and if it's him)."

"He was in the southwestern end of the garden," Deborah tells Tiffany, before meandering over to DeLana, her hand on her hip where her sword would be if she was wearing it. Tiffany and Fiona had brought their weapons, which Fiona has covered with an illusion. Tiffany supposes that Fiona can generate a greatsword for her as well, when the time comes.

"I had heard you were here, Crusader Tiffany," comes a voice from above Tiffany's head.

She looks up. "I'd heard the same of you, Warmaster Forgal," she replies. "Word travels fast, in addition to my own tentative suppositions. Have you heard of a quaggan village that needs helping?"

"I've heard of a village named Falooaloo," Forgal replies. "But word from there ceased strangely a day or so ago."

"That must have been my sister. She aided them in a gathering expedition, and warned them against leaving the lake until their eggs hatch. Fiona and I returned the next day to aid them in gathering enough to hold them."

"Excellent initiative, Tiffany," he replies, subconsciously resting a hand on his sword.

"I see you brought you weapon," Tiffany remarks.

"I see you didn't," he retorts.

"Ah, mine are veiled in illusion," Tiffany smiles back. "My sister, Fiona, is a mesmer."

"I did find another quaggan village, however," Forgal continues with an approving nod. "Lashoosh, north of Hoelbrak, is having trouble with Icebrood. We won't be able to get there from Hoelbrak, however. We'll have to take a roundabout route, and there aren't too many places we can stay. Most steadings are closed to travelers, and the Lionguard are suspicious. The closest place we can go - which is still closer than Hoelbrak, and the waypoint cost is enormous if we do not - is Cragstead, a steading much farther east than Lashoosh."

"That sounds fine to me," Tiffany replies with a delighted smile. ' _Cragstead! What an opportunity! What an excuse! Oh, I can't wait!_ ' "On to more suitable topics - the thought of the Shiverpeaks is making me _shiver_ , pun intended - what brings you here?"

"Involvment in the signing of the treaty, my curious Crusader," Forgal tells her with the touch of a smile. "And I'm sure that's why you're here, as well."

"No, I thought it was solely based on my connection to Logan," Tiffany says with an innocent smile.

"You rascal," Forgal tells her with an amused glint in his eye.

Tiffany giggles slightly. "What do you think of DeLana, over there?" she asks, motioning. "I'm fairly certain she's a Separatist infiltrator."

"I spoke to her earlier. She seemed rather too convinced of the charr's untrustworthiness for the representative of Ebonhawke."

"She's also been speaking with Uzolan, the Minister's inventor," Tiffany remarks. "And Logan suspects the Minister of foul play."

Forgal harrumphs. "This detente is drowned in political play."

"It is quite frustrating," Tiffany agrees. "I'm afraid it's quite boring to you."

"Certainly. However, we are the Vigil representatives, although you don't seem to be showing it much, and so I can't be openly bored. I'd rather be anywhere else, however."

"I don't show it because you're the Warmaster here," Tiffany informs him gravely. "As my superior, it's you that showcases the Vigil's presence."

"And you've been recently promoted to Crusader, kid. You're a recruit no longer, so stop acting like it," Forgal replies. "And you are human, the best sort to display the Vigil's presence."

"And the Vigil prides itself on being a neutral, multi-racial organization," Tiffany retorts, putting on an affronted air.

"And yet, curious thing about most people, they seem to have a certain amount of prejudice. Sigfast over there scorned me for 'deserting Hoelbrak and the Shiverpeaks, abandoning the legends of our people'."

"He's drunk," Tiffany says dismissively.

"You have to learn about norn, is that if they're not drunk they're either sleeping or too, shall we say, _vigil_ ant, and you learn to get to know their drunken personalities as them."

"I see," Tiffany replies gravely. "It is lucky my main source of information about the norn comes from vigilant coworkers."

"Tiffany!" one of Fiona's illusions hisses in Tiffany's ear. "I need help with Uzolan and DeLana over here! Deborah's... busy."

"On my way," Tiffany replies. "Forgal, I'd like to introduce you to my sister, Fiona. Also, some Vigil backup dealing with these possible Separatists would be appreciated." Tiffany starts toward the place where Uzolan and DeLana are.

"How could you possibly know that?" Uzolan is saying, with a superior air. "My inventions are shrouded in the highest secrecy."

 _'Oh, no._ ' Tiffany thinks. ' _I know what Uzolan's invention is from playing, but here in Tyria I got the information from Zojja. Fiona doesn't know that yet, but we can't give away Zojja. She'll probably give herself away first, though... but what to say? We don't know for sure!'_ Thinking quickly, Tiffany says the first thing that pops into her mind. "Inventions plural?" she blurts. "More than one?"

"Oh, yes, I have recently come upon an astounding breakthrough in my research," Uzolan says lazily.

Tiffany catches Fiona's eye and mouths 'Zojja'. Fiona looks confused.

An invisible clones pops up behind Tiffany. "What?" the clone asks.

" **Call Zojja** ," Tiffany mumbles back. The clone's presence disappears.

"What sort of breakthrough?" Tiffany prompts.

When Uzolan makes no move to answer, DeLana, at his side, speaks up. "Semi-sentient golems," she says with a triumphant grin. "Controlled mentally from afar."

' _Snaff used his golem to defeat Kralkatorrik mentally, Uzolan really did steal Snaff's work!_ ' Tiffany realizes. She sees Zojja and one of Fiona's clones approach. They have a shimmery quality to Tiffany's eyes, and she knows that they are veiled to somebody else's eyes. Zojja has a calculatedly furious look on her face. Tiffany involuntarily shivers at the cold fury in her eyes.

Uzolan looks startled at DeLana sharing his secret, then angry. "It's a secret," he snaps.

"Why, Uzolan," Caudecus asks silkily, approaching the group.

Tiffany notes Logan standing a few paces off, speaking distractedly to Phlunt. He is obviously stalking Caudecus.

"Why are you angry at Monique? She is clearly excited for the reaction of the guests."

Uzolan huffs, but before he can say anything, Queen Jennah approaches. "Minister, a word?" she asks.

Tiffany notes Logan stiffen slightly.

"Of course, milady," Caudecus replies, going over to her.

At this point, Zojja, who had been solely focused on Uzolan, starts forward. "Uzolan, the plot to - " she says angrily, speaking of him stealing Snaff's discoveries. But she is interrupted by Uzolan.

His nerves had already been high-strung, and now he panicks. "Golem! Plan Alpha!" he hollers, running into the manor.

"Uzolan, you fool!" DeLana hisses, darting after him.

An odd-looking golem charges into the group, arms whirling and a beam stabbing from a crystal centered on its chest.

Tiffany draws her weapons and charges forward immediately - ' _If I can stop this before it happens, I will -_ ' and her surroundings flick as if she'd waypointed, before everything goes black.

* * *

"Deborah!" Fiona hollers, tossing a belief-generated sword at her sister.

Deborah catches it expertly, swings it to get balanced, and charges the golem like a true member of Falcon Company.

Logan and Forgal also attack the golem, and Fiona keeps civilians away from the fight with illusions.

"Ti - Deborah, throw!" she hollers, shattering the sword a moment later without looking.

It shatters in a startled Deborah's hand, leaving her defenseless until Fiona notices and reconjures it. She had been expecting Deborah to throw the sword at the golem so she could shatter it near to the golem, at least.

' _Teamwork is_ learned _with a partner,_ ' Fiona reminds herself.

Zojja draws herself up and zaps the golem with a thick strand of electricity, crossing the golem's circuits.

"It killed Jennah!" Logan hollers in shock.

"Quit crying, Logan," Zojja snaps. "It was a short-range teleporter, which means I can track it. Hold on."

"She'll be fine, Logan," Fiona says, and even she is not sure if she is speaking to herself or Logan, or about Tiffany or the Queen.

"Alright, follow the energy signature," Zojja says.

"Are you on the right track?" Forgal asks doubtfully.

"Ha!" Zojja laughs sharply. "I know this arcane energy. Snaff's work is being used by Uzolan!"

Forgal shrugs, not bothering to ask who Snaff is. "Let's go, then," he says instead.

Forgal and Logan take the lead, with Fiona and Deborah close behind.

A couple turns through the manor brings them to a closed door with a Ministry Guard stationed in front.

"Stand aside, we're coming through!" Logan tells him.

"No one gets in here! Uzolan's orders!" the guard snaps.

"Uzolan is - " Logan starts, but Forgal interrupts.

"This is Vigil business," Fogal tells the guard, drawing his sword. "Stand aside."

"No," the doorguard snarls, drawing his own weapon.

"Hold!" Fiona says in a firm commanding voice. She has several illusions of people she knows - Petra, Andrew, Mat and Ayla (but bigger) and all holding weapons. "We outnumber you. Stand aside. Now."

The guard takes an alarmed step back. Logan bashes the door open while Deborah knocks out the doorguard.

Once through the door, Fiona hears an alarmed shout. "We've been seen. Kill them all!"

Fiona drops her detailed illusions of other people and brings them up as herself (much easier to maintain) and attacks, with the other three (especially Logan) dealing with the damage.

Deborah is like a whirlwind, spinning around the group with Fiona's greatsword, stabbing in vital places, ripping her sword out and decapitating another. Altogether, her movements are very precise and efficient, and she and Forgal tear through the enemy.

* * *

 _Author's Notes:_

Also rather short, but this, the last, and the next chapters used to be all one, which would have been monstrously big, and the chapter breaks I have are the only ones that make sense.


	15. Chapter 15: Dishonorable Separatists

SOLDIERS, SCHOLARS, AND SPIES

* * *

Summary: Tiffany's experiences with the Separatists after blacking out.

* * *

Chapter fifteen: Dishonorable Separatists

* * *

 _Author's Notes:_

Alright, this chapter is really, really tense. If you play background music that inspires a tense feeling, do so to create a more realistic atmosphere for this chapter. I listened to 'Moondust' by Jaymes Young while writing this, I'd recommend it for background music.

 _ **Okay, here's the story now:**_

* * *

Tiffany wakes up, and is instantly on her feet. She takes in her surroundings in a glance - the Queen is next to her, maintaining a shield - ' _she's not using a focus(staff/focus/scepter)? Tiff, it's Queen Jennah. She convinced Branded that Kralkatorrik was there,_ ' - there are Separatists clustered around the bubble of protection, and there are no allies in sight.

She grabs for her weapons - only to find they are not there. She checks for her other weapons. No bow, no arrows, no axes, no Fiona to generate a greatsword, no daggers - ' _no daggers? Not even - aha!_ ' she found the last two on her - one in each boot, and the worst. They are the hardest to get to mid-fight, so she had put the dullest there.

They are better than nothing, but Tiffany frowns as she realizes her limited options. She can't strap them to her elbows, because then she would have nothing in her hands. She can't throw them, because she only has two, and they don't have the same curvature as her axes do, to act as a boomerang. She tries spinning them in her hands the way she does her axes, but drops them. ' _Can't dance the axes with daggers, then,_ ' she notes. This means she is stuck with slashing and jabbing, which she isn't particularly good at.

This analyzing of her situation takes all of five seconds, before she is startled by a mocking voice.

"Look at the lil' girl, she hid something from us we didn't find!" says a burly man outside Queen Jennah's protective bubble. "But if she thinks she can take us on with two dull daggers, she'll be sorely mistaken."

"We have the Hero of Shaemoor and the Queen," says a voice. Tiffany looks and sees DeLana. "Your only mode of departure will be in a coffin." The Separatist laughs evilly.

"Are you alright?" the Queen asks Tiffany in a low voice, ignoring DeLana's monologue.

"I'm fine," Tiffany replies, scanning the group outside of the protective bubble. ' _In the dungeon, the Queen didn't let the shield down until the players got there, so I shouldn't have to worry about battle... but things are going differently._ ' There are about five people, including DeLana, outside the shield. ' _I can handle them,_ ' Tiffany decides, ' _especially if I can take their weapons and improvise..._ ' "How long can you hold this shield?"

"Not long," Queen Jennah replies softly, closing her eyes in concentration. "Prepare for a fight."

Tiffany nods, adjusting her grip on her daggers, gripping them tensely.

"Relax," the Queen says softly. "Being tense lowers your reaction time."

Tiffany nods again, breathing deeply and trying to relax.

"If you do happen to cause any trouble, I'll just call for backup," DeLana says with a victorious grin.

"Oh, you need backup, do you?" Tiffany retorts. "Just to deal with a young woman with dull knives? Not much of a Separatist, are you?"

"I tend to not underestimate my enemies. It's why I'm a Separatist in the first place," DeLana explains impassively. "Don't try to waypoint, either. I've had a waypoint-suppression spell put on you."

The Queen is mumbling under her breath. Tiffany realizes that talking interrupts her concentration. She knows this from the few times Fiona has been out if it - she'll mumble a pertinent phrase to help her concentrate.

Wondering how to make the Separatists shut up, Tiffany glances around again, taking in her surroundings. They are in a ravine between cliffs. Tiffany recalls doing the dungeon and more details jump out, like the position of the Separatists. She is on Queen Jennah's left, the Separatists facing them a few paces away, and she knows the players approach the scene from her right, which is north. So that's where Fiona will approach from.

' _I should do my best to place myself near her if a fight happens,_ ' Tiffany decides. ' _We can watch each others' backs. But what about the Queen? I should stay with her - she has no focus, it's a wonder she can maintain this shield - and when Fiona comes she can generate a greatsword._ ' She glances around, looking for where the Separatists might have put her weapons, but she doesn't see them. ' _It's better than nothing,_ ' she reminds herself, bouncing a dagger in her palm.

Suddenly, Queen Jennah expells a breath of air, and the shield drops.

Instantly, the Separatists move in.

Tiffany launches forward, stabbing the first one in the eye with the dagger in her left hand and giving another a long gash on the arm. She pivots around him, facing his back and kicks him violently, sending him stumbling into the ground and bloodying his nose. She spins again and jabs the next one in the stomach area.

DeLana, the farthest from Tiffany, winds a horn and blows it. Immediately there is an answering call.

Tiffany advances on DeLana, but the one she had kicked to the ground grabs her ankle, tripping her, before standing and placing a foot on her back, holding her down.

Tiffany freezes. What now?

Beorn jumps on the man's back, knocking him head-over-heels into DeLana.

"Tiffany!" the Queen calls, pointing down the path.

Tiffany follows the Queen's finger - the direction Fiona should be coming from - and sees a group of Separatists coming. About twenty, plus a large group of hounds. Tiffany pales. "Run!" she hisses, gesturing for the Queen to move.

In the other direction, however, is DeLana. Tiffany, glancing between her two daggers, the oncoming enemy, and DeLana's raised bow and an arrow on a tense string, throws one dagger at DeLana, tangling in the bow that DeLana had raised to block the attack.

As DeLana wrestles the dagger out of the way, it catches the string and cuts, rendering the bow useless.

Tiffany and Queen Jennah run, Tiffany clutching her last knife.

DeLana drops the bow, snatching up the dagger Tiffany had thrown, and starts in pursuit.

Tiffany and the Queen encounter a locked, undefended door. Tiffany glances back the way the horde of Separatists are coming. ' _I have time to at least try,_ ' she reasons.

"Look for a way out, I'll try and crack this door," Tiffany says absentmindedly, forgetting she is speaking to the Queen. Queen Jennah doesn't mind, however, and starts scanning their surroundings.

Tiffany tries a trick she has heard of, and wiggles the knife around in the lock of the door, hoping for it to unlock.

It doesn't. Tiffany extracts the dagger and violently kicks the door in frustration, glancing around for a way out.

She analyzes her options. Dagger, physical strength, cunning with words, bluffing, the Queen's backup, an unknown rescue timer ticking, Countess Anise's unknown absence - ' _Where_ is _she?_ ' Tiffany wonders in desperation.

The Separatist group is on them now.

"Surrender. You'll never survive otherwise," DeLana tells them with a sneer.

"We'll not survive anyway," Tiffany retorts, stalling. ' _Words are all I have... what stories have I read where somebody uses words directly to win unsurmountable odds? Durkon convinced evil Durkon to share memories, but I can't do that, I need a situation with a ton of enemies... hmm... Death Eaters don't count, the Pure Ones don't count, dragon minions certainly don't count...'_

"Well? Are you going to surrender or keep fighting?" DeLana asks irritably. No response. Tiffany is still thinking furiously.

' _Why can't we have stayed at home?_ ' Tiffany wonders. ' _Sure it's nice and all here but still... our futures were ripped out of our hands by some superior force for who knows what reason. We're essentially training to take on the Elder Dragons... '_

"Separatists, attack!" DeLana says, when no answer is forthcoming.

 _'Ender! Ender! Ender did it!_ ' Tiffany realizes. "No!" she says forcefully. DeLana holds up a hand to stop the Separatists.

"Do you surrender?" DeLana asks again.

"I challenge you to one-on-one combat!" Tiffany counters. "I have a dagger, you have a dagger, and we both have the environment."

"You think I'm that stupid?" DeLana laughs. "I can't take on the Hero of Shaemoor and the Queen of Kryta on my own!"

"I didn't say me and the Queen," Tiffany replies. "I said one-on-one. That means me vs you. I don't have help, you don't have help."

"Who knows what other tricks you have up your sleeve?" DeLana sneers. "I'm not going to."

"So you're going to do twenty vs two? Do you call that honorable?" Tiffany scorns. "You call the charr untrustworthy, but you go behind everyone's back to _kidnap_ the Queen so that the treaty can come undone. You call the charr suspicious and sneaky and dishonorable, and you're going to go twenty vs two, you all fully armed and us with one dagger?"

"Anything! Anything to avoid peaceably assosciating with the charr!" DeLana hisses, but Tiffany senses a note of uncertainty in her voice.

"You do know how rediculous that sounds, right?" Tiffany asks blandly. "You'll do anything to _avoid_ peace?"

"Yes!" DeLana crows.

"Are you a coward?" Tiffany challenges. "You can't even accept single combat? Aren't you from Ebonhawke? Don't all of you train as soldiers for if the charr attacked? You can't face me? We're on neutral territory, and if it's not neutral it's yours, we both have equal weapons. Aren't you curious who's better wielding a knife and thinking on your feet?"

"No!" DeLana says, but her voice holds a noticeable quaver.

' _What else can I say?_ '

"What is your goal in this?" Tiffany tries. "Do _you_ want to rule Kryta? Is that it?"

No response.

"If you want to rule anybody, you won't do it by treachery and assassination. You won't do it dishonorably. One-on-one duel, are you a coward? Or just plain dumb?"

"I am _not_ stupid!" DeLana hisses vehemently.

' _Weak spot!_ ' Tiffany crows mentally. "Yes, yes you are," she says. "Peace is the most tactically adviseable thing. You've been battling the charr for ages, and you don't want to stop? Do you have any idea how worn out the people of Ebonhawke must be? No, you don't. You're stupid. You're dumb. If you want to rule anybody - and it's clear from your unquestioned respectable position as the Ebonhawke ambassador that you do - you won't do it by wearing the people out and rejecting peace. You won't do it by assassinating the Queen. You won't do it by proving yourself a coward. You won't do it by proving yourself dishonorable."

"What are your terms?" DeLana snarls.

"Me vs you," Tiffany says. "We each have a dagger - the one we're holding - and the environment. We can pick up stones and throw them, if we like. No help is allowed. My companion Beorn will stay out of it. There is no defined arena. Everyone else must stay out of the way. We duel to the death. That way, if you prove the better of me, you get to kill me, just like you wanted. If I prove the better, I get to end the threat you pose to Kryta."

DeLana appears to be weighing her options.

"If - " Tiffany stops.

"What?" DeLana snaps.

"Nothing," Tiffany says. "It's irrelevant. But what happens when - if - I'm dead?" she gestures around the clearing, including the waiting Separatists, Queen Jennah, Beorn, and the locked door.

"No, I won't duel you!" DeLana says gleefully, a moment later.

Tiffany frowns in puzzlement. "You were going to, though. What changed your mind?"

"This!" DeLana cries triumphantly.

She turns and disappears into the cluster of Separatists.

After a moment, she has another bow in her hand, and steps back into sight. She fits an arrow to the string and sights at an odd rock formation off to the side.

Tiffany watches her suspiciously.

"No, no," DeLana mumbles a moment later. "I'll think about it some more. But we need a defined arena."

"What do you propose?"

"Your end is up against that door," DeLana says. She gestures at her Separatists, who form a ring around the pair. "How is that for a boundary?"

"I don't mind," Tiffany agrees, seeing that the designated arena is quite big enough for her to maneuver in.

She glances at the Queen and Beorn, who are inside the ring.

Reading her glance, DeLana adds, "they can stay where they are. You don't mind?"

"I know how to stay out of the way of two people fighting with knives," the Queen assures Tiffany, taking a couple steps back and out of the way. Beorn backs into the crowd, watching Tiffany anxiously.

"Alright," Tiffany agrees reluctantly.

"To the death with knives?" DeLana summarizes.

"Yes. You should put that bow - and the arrows - down," Tiffany informs her.

DeLana sights at the odd rock formation again. "It helps me focus a bit," she explains easily.

Tiffany narrows her eyes in suspicion. DeLana is being too nice.

DeLana twitches the bow to the side, and shoots the arrow far off into the distance. She lowers the bow and looks at it absentmindedly, running a hand along the smooth wood. Then she tosses the bow away. It lands within a few feet of her, but out of reach.

A sharp whistle pierces the air. None of the Separatists seem to notice.

"No," DeLana says. "I have decided. I will not duel you."

"If I killed you right now, what would your Separatists do?" Tiffany queries.

"Attack you. But, if you move - no, no, you don't know the consequences yet - your companion will die. Look."

Tiffany looks back, and, to her horror, sees Beorn held with a sword literally hanging over his head, at his neck, in a perfect position for the Separatist holding it to stab downward. There are several Separatists between him and Queen Jennah, who looks worried.

Anger and fear bounces across the empathic bond she shares with Beorn (it forms as a result of constant companionship, and is a capability that generally only rangers have with animals).

Tiffany freezes. ' _No! He's still sleepy from the knock-out stuff they used on us, he can't defend himself!_ '

"Not so eager to fight me now, are we?" DeLana purrs, the bow in hand once more. "Surrender, and I will _consider_ sparing his life. Not yours, unfortunately."

Tiffany remains stiffly silent, in shock.

"I'll take that as a surrender," DeLana says with an evil smile.

Tiffany's face shows her disbelief, and her mouth drops open slightly as she realizes there is nothing she can do.

"You - you can't," she whispers in disbelief.

"Can't I?" DeLana inquires. "Can't I? I'm doing it right now!" she throws her head back and laughs, long and loudly. "Uzolan will be pleased. And Caudecus knows nothing! Ha!"

The Separatists holding Beorn move forward, forming a triangle between them, Tiffany, and DeLana. The rest of the Separatists gather back in a group again, roughly binding the Queen. The Queen and her captors, Beorn and his captors, Tiffany, and DeLana form a square.

Tiffany is trying to think of a way to do _something!_ Her mind is running over the most outlandish ideas. Her eyes are darting all over the clearing, looking for some aid. But DeLana has proved immune to her words, and she is out of suggestions the Separatist Captain might take seriously. The Queen is helpless without a focus (and being bound, besides) and if Tiffany moves, Beorn will die. Tiffany is getting lightheaded with hopelessness, and sweating buckets.

' _Fiona!_ ' she mentally hollers. ' _Where are you?_ ' she wonders miserably. But even if Fiona were here, there is nothing even she could do to get her out of this predicament. Even players wouldn't be able to do anything. ' _Where did all these frickin' Separatists come from?_ ' she wonders angrily. ' _I can't do anything! If I do, Beorn dies. There's no way I can defeat all these Separatists without his help, or even with his help! If I don't do anything, Beorn lives - and even that's a maybe! - but the Queen and I die.'_

DeLana is still cackling madly.

Tiffany's eye suddenly snaps to Beorn. He and the area around him seem ever so slightly shimmery, an effect she'd seen when Fiona cast an illusion. She glances at the Queen, but she makes no response. Her eyes are closed and she is breathing slowly, evenly. Tiffany looks back at Beorn, but the shimmery effect is gone.

' _Wishful thinking. But even if Fiona was here, she couldn't help,_ ' Tiffany thinks miserably.

Suddenly, the empathic connection winks out. ' _The only way that could happen is if Beorn cut if off himself or if he's dead!'_ Tiffany thinks, panicking. She whips her head around to look at Beorn, who jerks his head upwards into the knife, before slumping over, dead.

* * *

 _Author's Notes:_

RIP Beorn!

Because:

One of my rules writing is this: Once it's written, I can't erase it. So I got to the last couple paragraphs and realizes there really is no way for this to go forward without this happening. No way. And I panicked. I couldn't find a single way out. I carefully timed how long Fiona and the rest take to get there, and... it's not in time.

So... I am as unhappy as you. I wish I didn't have to. I wish there was a way out. But there isn't.

OH! There was one thing I coulda done. I coulda had Tiffany surrender. But then Queen Jennah would die.

What would happen? Caudecus might take the throne. Kryta would be in upheaval. I can't write that. But most of all? I can't write Logan in that situation. Well, I can, theoretically, but I'm not willing to do that to the story. Logan would blame Tiffany, (hey, Rytlock might be nice to them) even the citizens of Kryta would no longer hail them as the Heros of Shaemoor, they'd be shunned wherever they went, and who knows what would happen to the Order of Whispers.

...

Of course, I might have been influenced a _tiny_ little bit by listening to "Moondust" by Jaymes Young on loop while writing this chapter.

I am so, SO sorry for giving you guys such a gigantic cliffie... but I couldn't resist, and it seemed appropriate. I decided on chapter divisions after writing it, once I was calmed down enough to make decisions of that sort.

What have I done to myself! Beorn - noo... and I have bear-related things all over my bedroom, because I like bears (nice ones) and occasionally (like with the bookmark) they look SO MUCH like Beorn I can't resist.


	16. Chapter 16: The Aftermath

SOLDIERS, SCHOLARS, AND SPIES

* * *

Summary: Tiffany is outraged at the Separatists. Fiona and the others arrive and help her decimate them. Tiffany heads home while Fiona deals with things. Fiona gets home and Tiffany tells Fiona her solution, which Fiona does not like at all. Tiffany and Fiona go to Shaemoor to see the PCs, before heading home. The next day, Logan visits and updates them on the DeGlass situation, and afterwards Forgal visits and Tiffany and Fiona update him on the timeframe to help the quaggans of Lashoosh. Then Tiffany and Fiona go to the Chantry of Secrets.

* * *

Chapter sixteen: The Aftermath

* * *

 _Author's Notes:_

One of my one-shots is entitled 'the Aftermath', but there are few similarities, and those are coincidental.

 _ **Okay, here's the story now:**_

* * *

After a single beat of shock, Tiffany lets out the grieved howl of one who has had their life's companion ripped out of her life (she does have years and years of memories of having that bond with Beorn, since childhood and beyond, plus connection formed as playing ranger in GW2 with Beorn for a long time). No longer does she have her deep, understanding connection with him. Beorn had been the only one in Tyria to know her and Fiona's secret. Beorn, always patient and loyal, even when he was ignored most of the time. Beorn, her lifelong battle companion. Beorn, her partner in all senses of the word. How many of her victories are attributed to Beorn? How many times he had saved her life? How many times had he warned her of impending danger, saved her from poison or fatigue, pooled his dormant magical power with hers for healing (which was the main source of the empathic bond)?

Tiffany, fueled with rage, launches at DeLana with her last dagger, and stabs her through the heart. DeLana's face is frozen in a look of puzzlement that still holds traces of laughter.

Tiffany then turns on the Separatist that had held the sword over Beorn, and deals the same fate to him.

Suddenly, half-a-dozen Fionas appear and begin battling the rest of the Separatists with Tiffany.

Tiffany automatically takes hold of the greatsword Fiona conjures, her face still contorted in fury. She swings with a vengeance, and suddenly Deborah is on one side, Forgal on the other.

Zojja is standing back with Fiona, doing elementalist things, and Logan is ensuring the Queen is safe.

Within minutes, the large group of Separatists are dead, except one or two prisoners. Confronted with the furious face of Tiffany, they stumble all over themselves to answer questions.

"Why?"

"Captain DeLana's orders," one of them blurts.

"And you followed DeLana why?" Tiffany snarls.

"She was appointed Captain by the higher-ups of the Separatist movement!" another squeaks. "Why do you follow Captain Thackeray?"

"Enough!" Tiffany cries in outrage. "I'm done!" she flings her hands to skies. "I want to go home! I was brought here magically, now bring me back!"

"Tiffany," Fiona says, gently placing a hand on Tiffany's shoulder, concernedly looking around. "Calm down. **Calm down before you spill something.** "

"I don't care," Tiffany replies, shoulders slumping. "I don't care anymore."

Fiona's face softens, before hardening. "We don't have time not to care. Would Beorn have wanted you to give up? He - "

"He is just like all the other fools who sacrifice their lives!" Tiffany howls at the sky. "Too noble and good and kind to be dead!"

" **Tiffany, calm down before you say something!** " Fiona hisses again.

"I'm not good enough! It keeps happening!" Tiffany snaps back. "I need to get better. Better at fighting, better at thinking, better at reacting, I need to be tougher. Much tougher. This can't happen again."

"Tiffany," Fiona tries again.

"I don't care how hard it is!" Tiffany cries. "I just need to be good enough it doesn't happen again. I'm good, sure - but not good enough. I... I'm not good enough... not good enough."

Just then, the door Tiffany had tried to escape through earlier rattles a for a moment, before opening to admit Caudecus onto the scene.

"What's - Your Majesty!" Caudecus says in relieved surprise. "We found you! It seems we were both on separate trails of the same Separatists."

"Caudecus!" Logan cries. "You were working with the Separatists! I knew you were in on it!"

"I was a victim here!" Caudecus protests. "Uzolan's schemes were wholly unknown to me!"

"Uzolan!" Tiffany shrieks. "Where is he? He orchestrated all this, and he will pay for Beorn's death! It's his fault!"

"I'm afraid he escaped," Zojja says in an odd tone of voice.

"Caudecus was the mastermind, however," Logan says coldly. "You're under arrest."

"Logan!" the Queen speaks up, having been freed from her bonds. "I believe Caudecus is innocent."

Tiffany suddenly refocuses on what is going on. She wrests her mind on to the subject at hand, pushing Beorn's death away for the moment.

"Logan," she says. "Caudecus definitely wasn't in on it. DeLana said it was Uzolan. And those Separatists are too _stupid_ to pretend such things."

"And the Separatists were planning on capturing him as well," the Queen adds.

"Really?" Caudecus asks, surprised. "Then I am in your debt for keeping me safe, as well."

"You should stay at my palace temporarily for your own protection," the Queen invites.

"I - I'm sure - but - there's no - " Caudecus sighs. "Very well, Your Majesty."

"Jennah!" Logan protests.

"I think it best the minister stay where I can keep an eye on him, Logan. For his own safety."

"I should remain as well," Logan replies stoutly. "To help watch him."

The Queen turns to Logan fully. "Logan, you have other matters to attend to. I will not - no, cannot! - keep you in Kryta and Divinity's Reach. You have other things to do. There are dangers that only you can deal with, Logan."

Logan remains silent for a moment. Then, he sighs. "Right," he mumbles to himself. "I should go. I have... things to finish. And fix. And think about."

"I will be awaiting your return, Logan," the Queen replies.

Logan nods and turns away, mumbling under his breath. He retreats a few paces away, and appears to be thinking.

"Logan has his queen back, the fool." Zojja tells Fiona, whom she seems to have got to know during the rescue mission. "I wonder where Uzolan got Snaff's discoveries?"

"Do you think Logan will try?" Fiona asks.

"He talks well, and he may try a bit for a while, but I doubt Rytlock will be open to making amends. He'll give up and come back to his queen." Zojja scoffs. "Like normal."

"Fiona, I want to speak to Logan before he leaves," Tiffany tells her sister. "Let's go."

"Right," Fiona nods, leading Tiffany to where Logan is still standing.

"We all saw what happened there, the last moments," Deborah says, joining them.

"I thought I saw mesmer magic just a moment beforehand," Tiffany mumbles. "I thought it was wishful thinking."

"It wasn't me," Fiona sighs. "I would've done something if I could. Are you alright?"

"No," Tiffany replies simply. "I'm hiding it away. Like I did for the others. I'm locking it up in my heart. I need to be tough, not emotional."

Logan looks up. "I have a thought," he says. "I know a rather tough mesmer who is good at training people into sturdy, resilient soldiers. He might be able to help. If you get emotional on him, he'll beat you up," he offers, almost... playfully? "I wouldn't recommend it, though. Heavily not recommend it. He's really, really tough. He was a really good soldier back in the day, before he began training the new recruits."

Tiffany cracks a brief smile. "Tell me about this mesmer."

"His name is Pierre DeGlasse..." Logan says, with a doubtful look in his eyes. He glances at Fiona with a look that says 'I wasn't serious!' but Fiona shrugs. "...and he's the Seraph trainer."

Tiffany grimaces. She'd seen the look Logan shot at Fiona, but disregards it. "That does sound tough. I suppose I'd have to become a Seraph afterwards, though?"

"You'll need to be part of a class, yes," Logan frowns. "And I can't show favoritism, so you would have to become Seraph, and the profession selection..."

Tiffany cracks a smile. "If I prove to be more adept at some other profession than ranger, I'm sure I'll be shell-shocked."

"You could be a good warrior," Logan shrugs. "But I doubt you want to be tied up doing Seraph things."

"Illusions," Fiona suggests. She generates an illusion of Logan. Then she changes it to an illusion of Countess Anise. Then it's Queen Jennah. Then she settles on Tiffany and begins making alterations. Hair colors flickers around, as does eye color, height, and other facets of the illusion's physique.

"Can you keep that illusion constant while you're so far apart?" Logan asks with a frown.

"I wouldn't let her go get toughened up without doing the same!" Fiona replies, surprised. "It was always a foregone conclusion that I'd be joining her."

"Me, as well," Deborah says stoutly.

"Sergeant Tassof?" Logan queries doubtfully. "I don't think that will work very well. You've been through the Academy twice now, I don't think it could benefit you much more. Besides, I have word from an outpost in eastern Kryta that they need a good soldier, and I was going to assign you there."

"Oh," Deborah replies. "I just don't think they should be let on DeGlasse without any warning."

"I'll do my best to prepare them, Sergeant," Logan assures her.

Deborah nods

Logan sighs, turning back to Fiona. "I suppose if nobody's looking for you, nobody will notice if you never show up at a Seraph outpost. I'll speak to DeGlasse this evening."

"Great!" Tiffany says with a smile.

"I'll inform you of when the next class begins," Logan informs them. "It could be anywhere from a few weeks to a few days. I'll contact you tomorrow."

"We'll see you then, Logan," Tiffany smiles.

Logan nods. "Good-bye, my friend. And I am sorry for your loss."

Tiffany sobers up immediately. "Right. I have to... I'll have to bury him, won't I?" she asks in a strangled voice, glancing back at Beorn's body.

"I... I suppose," Fiona replies slowly.

"Suppose," Tiffany echoes in a whisper, clinging to what she has. She has her sisters, and their inside jokes and quirks, and she has other friends, too. ' _I won't let any of them go. No one will have to die for me again, I'll make sure of it._ ' Tiffany tells herself.

Her sisters remain silent.

Tiffany turns back to the still-crowded clearing and sighs. "I need to go home," she says tiredly. "What - "

"You go on ahead and inform Andrew and Petra," Fiona says. "I'll deal with Beorn's... body."

"I need to help Captain Thackeray calm the guests," Deborah tells the two. "I'll see you at home."

Tiffany's shoulders slump. "I'll see you there, then." She waypoints on the spot, and even the settling blue dust seems despondent.

* * *

Tiffany trudges through the Salma District towards the Tassof family residence. Several children approach and ask where Beorn is.

"Gone," she replies bitterly. "He's..." she trails off into silence.

One of the older children's eyes widen, and he quickly herds the smaller ones away.

Tiffany trudges into the main room of the inn. Petra looks up, and immediately notes the absence of Beorn. It is really quite odd to see Tiffany without Beorn, even odder than seeing her without Fiona.

Petra notes her dispirited posture. "Is anything the matter?" she asks kindly.

Tiffany takes a deep shuddering breath. "Beorn... I... he..."

"Come upstairs," Petra tells her, leading the way into the family sitting room, away from the few guests at the tavern.

Tiffany follows behind her slowly, and collapses on a chair in the living room.

Petra waits.

After a minute, Tiffany begins talking, tears forming in the corners of her eyes. "Separatists infiltrated the celebration and kidnapped the Queen with a teleportation ray, and me and Beorn by proximity. The Queen managed to hold a shield up for a while, and when it dropped, the Separatists attacked. I took out a lot of them, and Beorn helped." she pauses, and her tears flow freely.

Petra doesn't let her confusion (what has this to do with anything?) show on her face. "Of course he helped, dear. He always does."

"Then there were too many of them, and we ran. Into a dead end, and I tried to talk our way out of it, but DeLana tricked me, and held Beorn at knife-point. There was nothing I could do... if I did anything... if I did nothing, the Queen and I would die. That was their goal."

Petra winces as she realizes the conundrum the girl was left with. Her constant companion, or her Queen and herself. She doesn't speak, however.

"Beorn... he made the decision..." Tiffany finally breaks down into full sobs, and Petra is there, comforting her as she had when Tiffany was a little girl.

The two remain like that for some time, Tiffany pouring her heart out in her tears, and Petra silently comforting her, silently sympathizing. ' _Death is hard to bear,_ ' Petra thinks. ' _I wish Tiffany hadn't had to experience it this young. Nobody should have to watch their lifelong companion die that way._ '

"There was nothing I could have done," Tiffany says at long last, sitting next to Petra. "I don't know what I would have done if he hadn't..."

"Shh, I know," Petra says softly. "The best you can do now is ensure his sacrifice wasn't in vain. How can you do that?"

Tiffany considers a moment. "The Separatists are totally anti-peace. So I'll be anti-Separatist. Pro-peace."

"I'm sure that's an excellent idea," Petra says.

The door opens quietly, and Fiona slips in. Petra catches her eye and raises an eyebrow. Fiona grimaces and nods.

"Is Deborah still at the manor?" Tiffany asks.

"Yes. Logan has her on duty as crowd control." The corners of Fiona's lips twitch slightly in amusement.

"With all Logan suspected of Caudecus, I'm surprised Deborah was the only Seraph there," Tiffany comments.

"I doubt the Queen would have allowed it," Fiona observes. "The Ministry Guard should have been there, though. The party's mostly over, most of the guests left after that fiasco."

"Did we have anything to do afterwards?" Tiffany asks.

"Yeah," Fiona winces. "They're probably waiting for us in Shaemoor."

"Aw, not them!" Tiffany groans. "Not now!"

Fiona sighs. "I'll... I'll inform them."

"Fi, can I speak to you a minute?" Tiffany asks. "Upstairs. I'll be back in a minute, Petra."

Upstairs, Tiffany sits on her bed. "I... can pretend..." Tiffany whispers. " **It's all... it's all a game still, isn't it? I can just switch... I can charm another bear, can't I?"**

"Tiffany, no!" Fiona cries. "I'm afraid not. It's _Beorn_."

"My mind is crazy, Fiona!" Tiffany cries, jumping up. "If I focus, I can think about something else. Something else that isn't _that_. I can ignore anything, it's how - **it's how I ignored most crazy things Falcon and Harrison said about everyone in Tyria.** I'd look around and settle on something else to think about - it was easy, Fiona! I can do that here, about this!"

"Tiffany, you can't just _forget_ him!" Fiona pleads. "It's Beorn!"

"I don't care! I can't care!" Tiffany says crazily, glancing around wildly. "It doesn't matter, it can't matter, I just need to think about something else! Forget it! I'll only remember enough to not let it happen again!"

"Your empathic bond, Tiffany! You can't just forget years of being bonded like that!"

"I can, I can and I will!" Tiffany answers madly. "Don't you understand, I have to! I'll go crazy if I don't! I can't stand it!"

"I think you're already going crazy, Tiffany," Fiona says, shaking her head, tears starting in her eyes.

"I don't care! I can **save the people I need to save - Forgal, Eir, Trahearne - and then I can go home, perhaps. I miss them, Fiona, I miss all of them. It's not the same, speaking to their characters! I've been subconsciously not thinking about it at all, this whole time. I miss them all! And we can go home one day!** " Tiffany continues speaking in Tyrian-based Shilgni. " **And then I can rest knowing I've done what I can! And then I'll remember Beorn, and he'll be the only one I have to mourn, instead of a lot of them! Forgal, Eir, Trahearne, anyone else who dies in the storyline that I haven't played yet, my children can grow up remembering Beorn... but I can't think about it now, it's still...** "

"Tiffany, no! **We can't get back, we're stuck here** ," Fiona almost cries. " **It's not healthy to bottle it up like this!** "

" **Not healthy?** " Tiffany hoots. " **Not healthy? I didn't bottle it up over Trahearne, and look where that got me! A magical map bringing us to Tyria! Beorn dying - back before we came here, if Beorn had died in storyline, what would I feel? A pang of regret, a wish for not being so attached to him, perhaps, but I wouldn't be feeling this!** "

" **Tiffany, please, stop!** " Fiona begs. " **I can't - you're crazy!** "

" **It's not like I can't control my own mind,** " Tiffany replies, annoyed. She walls up her end of the lost connection to Beorn, shutting any reminder of him out her mind. His end is dead. "I'm fine. We had to go see Tangwen and the rest, didn't we? Let's go."

She pops out of the room, and the settling dust sparkles mockingly to Fiona's eyes. "Oh, Tiffany, what have you done?" she cries despairingly. She informs Petra that she and Tiffany are going to Shaemoor, and will be back later.

* * *

"We were waiting for you," Joslyn greets. "What took so long?"

"And where's Beorn?" Falcon asks. Tiffany winces, but says nothing.

"It would be best to avoid that topic," Fiona says, carefully watching Tiffany. She is smiling cheerfully, but her eyes hold a false joy, and Fiona can almost sense the grief stirring behind them. Fiona keeps a careful watch on Tiffany for what little remains of the afternoon, and into the evening as dusk falls.

Fiona feels as if Tiffany's mad plan won't work as well as she thinks. She is reminded of a line from a song she'd listened to; 'I've buried my love, in the Moondust' (A/N: You really should listen to it at least once, the whole song is applicable to Tiffany's situation here.)

"Oh, alright," says Phillipe, who had arrived. He glances at Fiona with a raised eyebrow. Fiona mouths 'I'll explain later' and he nods.

"So we meet the whole family again, at last! It's been so long!" Tiffany says.

"Mom, Dad, Falcon, Harrison, Nate, and Tangwen. That's not right," Fiona frowns.

"Eden, Vinn, and Laura aren't here," Tiffany agrees. "But they can't exactly make characters that look like them, can they?"

"You can hear them, though," Joslyn offers. "Laura! Laura, come here! Come here!"

A moment later, Joslyn's character speaks in Laura's babbling baby voice.

"Oh, Lauri-li!" Tiffany cries, stepping closer to Joslyn's character.

"Tee!" says Laura. And she does more baby-talk.

"Oh, I've missed her so much," Tiffany cries. "What about Vinn?"

"Tiffee?" says Phillipe's character in Vinn's voice. Then he gasps. " _Car!_ Car!"

"He's talking!" Fiona says in delight. "When did he learn to say car?"

"Car! Car!" Vinn says excitedly.

"He _loves_ saying 'car'," Harrison says. Tiffany can tell he is rolling his eyes.

"Eden!" Nate calls. "Eden, come talk to Tiffany and Fiona!"

"Eden! It's been so long, hasn't it?" Fiona asks a moment later.

"Yeah," Eden says shyly. "It was scary in the bedroom all by myself."

"Ohh, you poor thing," Tiffany says sadly. "Are you still in there?"

"No, I sleep in Mommy's bedroom now," Eden replies. "The old bedroom is Falcon's all own room, isn't that cool?"

"Oh, wow," Tiffany says. "He must be a very good boy, huh?"

"Tee! Tee!" says Laura.

"Hey, Laura's still little, we could teach her Tyrian easy!"* Tiffany says brightly to Fiona, in Tyrian.

"She'd not be on enough," Fiona says, shaking her head. "And we have other things to do."

"Right," Tiffany says sadly.

"I think we need to get to bed, TIffany," Fiona says, later in the evening. She shivers involuntarily, and decides she has to convince Tiffany somehow to _stop_ this crazy plan of hers.

"Alright!" Tiffany replies cheerily.

"Logan will be contacting us tomorrow, so be ready," Fiona cautions. Tiffany waypoints.

"Beorn... died," Fiona says sadly.

"Oh, no!" Falcon cries.

"And she's so... connected with him, too!" Fiona agrees. "She has memories of an alternate life in Tyria, you know, and Beorn is in all of them. And she has this empathic link with him, meaning they attack as one unit. Intentions and emotions flow through the link, the more, the stronger the connection becomes. And that link was always in use. They were always in harmony together. And now... she deals with it by shutting it out. She won't think about it, and I think she shut the link down."

"What does the link do? How does it work?" Phillipe asks.

"She described it as a cord between her and him, and they both can shut their end up if they like. If he dies or gets too far away, it closes up. Which end depends on who initiated the going away or dying. Her end is - was - still active, and she was probably automatically sending signals through it after he died. Having that link to nobody - where there _should_ be _somebody_ \- is probably terrible. I think she closed it off to better ignore that he's dead. I need to fix that, somehow."

"That must be terrible!" Tangwen declares. "Is there anything we can do?"

"I'm afraid not," Fiona says with a grimace. "The only way we can interact is with words, and Tiffany doesn't need those. It's worse that your characters don't sync up to you. Your mouth doesn't move when you talk, and you're doing these idle animations, and it's crazy and disorienting. I can handle it much better, I think."

"Oh, I didn't know that," Harrison says. "No, my character doesn't talk when I do, that's crazy!"

Fiona smiles slightly. "Tiffany's probably waiting for me, I better go. Good-bye."

* * *

When Fiona arrives at home, Deborah is already there, as is Forgal.

"Crusader," he begins gravely. "I'm sorry for your loss."

The smile slips off Tiffany's face in an instant, and shakes her head mournfully. "I can't let myself think about it, or I'll go crazy," she tells him. "I need to think about other thing..." she trails off and glances around the room wildly, pausing now and then, before looking at Forgal. "We're going to help the quaggans soon, right?" she asks, her face settling into an easy smile again.

Forgal frowns at her, before glancing at Fiona and Deborah. Fiona raises her shoulders in a shrug, and puts a 'I-did-the-best-I-could' look on her face. Deborah is frowning at Tiffany, who is looking at Forgal expectantly.

"Yes," he sighs. "Lashoosh. We'll be spending a couple days up there, so make sure you bring warm clothing. Do your sisters want to come?"

"I have to be at Stoneguard gate for the foreseeable future, I won't be able to come," Deborah says.

"I'll be able to come, unless Sieran has something for me. I should find her, shouldn't I?" Fiona queries. "But this is all dependent on when DeGlasse's next class starts, isn't it?"

Tiffany frowns. "We'll think of that when the time comes. I'm sure the quaggans of Lashoosh need help... and we can always do the next class after this one."

Petra frowns deeply. "Let's just hope the times don't clash. If you're going to be out there for a day or so, where will you stay? I'm sure the waypoint cost - "

"We'll be staying at Cragstead," Forgal replies. "It's a fairly large cluster of steadings to the east of Lashoosh."

Tiffany glances at Fiona, but Fiona clearly has no idea what Cragstead is. Petra nods.

"Thank you for stopping by, Forgal," Tiffany says. "I..."

"I understand," replies Forgal with a worried frown. "Now, I must report to General Almorra. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Good-bye, Forgal," Tiffany replies, saluting. Forgal salutes back and vanishes in a puff of blue.

"Alright, Tiffany. It's late."

"Right," Tiffany replies, heading up the stairs. Fiona follows her, shaking her head.

That night, Fiona lies in bed wondering how to get Tiffany to cope with Beorn's death _other_ than ignoring it.

* * *

Vriré, who had been watching the pair all day, is in shock. She stands in her rooms in Rata Sum and rants at her golem, a D-series one-eight-nine.

"She'll get nowhere bottling it up!" Vriré tells the golem grumpily. "What she should do is think it over rationally - after the shock has worn off - and decide how to honor him best. Her partner! She can't forget her partner! She can't ignore his death! Seraph training - that'll do it! Definitely! But you still don't just _ignore_ him! His death fuels your passion, your determination! Shut up and listen to your heart, if at least just for a while, you overloaded rock!"

"Unit - 189 - is - not - a - rock, nor - does - it - feel - anything," her golem states.

"Shut up," Vriré snarls. "Or else give me an idea."

"Unit - 189 - activating - brainstorm - device," the golem intones. "Question - sequence - beginning. Why - do - you - feel - this - way?"

"Shut up," Vriré snarls.

"Unit - 189 - shutting - down," the golem informs her.

"Great. I have 189 decibles of quiet," Vriré snipes, before continuing her rant. "From what I can tell of your Beorn, he wouldn't want you to do this!"

After shouting at her inanimate golem for a while, Vriré is worn out.

Her partner, Koraw Burntspecter, an accomplished charr necromancer, had died to an Elder Dragon five years ago, and Vriré had mourned him, before vowing to see the Elder Dragons dead. Since then, she had become a stern agent with a rocky exterior, and most who tried to begin friendships with her failed as surely as water won't knock over a cliff in one try. And this mountain didn't get worn down.

Vriré had become interested in Tiffany and Fiona from the first, seeing clever, powerful people. She had volunteered to monitor them out of curiosity, and her admiration of them had grown exponentially, but only now doe she feel anything for them personally.

She now sees Tiffany as an emotionally vulnerable woman, with problems dealing with stress and grief. She sees Fiona as a concerned close companion, and perhaps the only one with the familiarity to crack Tiffany's shell and coax her towards the acceptance she needs.

She had seen Tiffany's outpouring of rage at the Separatists the moment after Beorn died - that was the sort of fury that Tiffany needs to harness and turn against the Separatists.

Something Cirra had said the other night tugs at Vriré's awareness.

"Progeny might have been ridiculous for Trappu, but they would be even more ridiculous for you. The closest you'd get would be mentoring a Whispers recruit. And perhaps you will, one day."

Vriré had dismissed the idea outright that night, but what if she took on Tiffany and Fiona? They are already each other's partners, and it is always easier to train the partners together, than one Lightbringer train one and someone else the other.

She had seen Fiona's attempt to get Deborah to throw the illusionary greatsword at the golem, shattering a moment later. It signified a strong trust between Fiona and Tiffany, that Fiona would shatter the sword without looking to see if Deborah had thrown it.

' _It will be a delight to train them,_ ' Vriré thinks. ' _Wait, I'm acting like it's confirmed! It's not! They are likely to have several people clamoring to be their mentors! I'll have to influence them somehow, they get final say. At the moment, if Bor asks, Fiona will likely accept him. What to do, what to do. Perhaps take on a disguise and aid them in Lashoosh? Fiona was able to identify Bor by voice, but I hardly spoke at all when they saw me. They shouldn't be able to pin me down until I speak again to them in a Whispers meeting. They don't have any more of those until initiation and mentor selection, so I'll be fine._ '

* * *

The next morning, after breakfast, Logan visits the Tassof home.

"DeGlasse's classes always start on Saturday," he informs them. "One starts this week, fotunately. Just show up on Friday evening, and he'll let you in. What are your disguises?"

Fiona displays the illusions.

"Those don't look like you at all!" Logan declares.

"Great!" Tiffany smiles. "Thanks for letting us do this, Logan. It means a lot to me."

"It's no problem," Logan assures them.

An hour later, Forgal shows up, and Tiffany assures him they have until Saturday.

"Meet me in Hoelbrak tomorrow morning, then," he tells them, before leaving.

"Alright, let's report to the Chantry and tell them we've got permission," Fiona decides.

* * *

In the Chantry, the same people as last time - Arer, Ingvil, Bor, Vriré, Asrink and Ornora, - await them.

Arer, who seems to be the spokesman of the group, steps forward. "You have done well," he tells them. "You have gained acceptance into the training of Agent DeGlasse. You have prepared well ahead of time for them. Show us your aliases."

Fiona reaches into the deep well that is her magic, and, recalling the illusions she had refined the day before 'the disaster', she cloaks herself and Tiffany in their character's physique.

She can now barely recognize Tiffany - no, Kasmeer Inafit. She needs to mentally train herself to think of that person as Kasmeer Inafit. Her hair color is now a reddish color, coming down a little past her shoulderblades, and her eyes a striking grey. Her height has not changed, but her face is slightly more angular than it normally is, and her nose is smaller. Her eyes are set just a bit further closer together. Her eyebrows are thicker and more defined, giving her a stern countenance. Her cheekbones are higher, and her mouth is small and tight. All in all, she makes an imposing image.

Tiffany cannot believe her own eyes when she flips her hair around to fall over her shoulder - it is the same in every aspect but color, which is astounding. Glancing at Fiona, she smiles.

Fiona's hair is blonde, coming to just below her shoulders, and she has striking green eyes. Her eyes are larger, making them and their color hard to miss. Her face is gentle and round, her nose tiny and - if anyone dared say it - cute. Her cheekbones are lowered, and her chin is round. Her mouth is slightly larger than normal.

Really, Tiffany and Fiona look complete opposites - Fiona small and cute, Tiffany stern and imposing.

"My name is Kasmeer Inafit," Tiffany introduces her new alias in a firm voice. "I will notice Catava Anoif in Seraph training, and watch over her in the rough environment."

"I am Catava Anoif," Fiona replies. "I am rather gentle, and the rough training may get to me soon if I don't have help. Luckily, Kasmeer will notice me and come to my aid."

Ornora - the sylvari - steps forward. "Can you sustain this belief through three weeks of Seraph training?" she asks.

"I think of her, now," Fiona gestures at Tiffany, "as Kasmeer Inafit. I do not know her. I, myself, am Catava Anoif. Our aliases come with personalities and names, and that package is not me. It is Catava Anoif. It may take a few days to get the hang of it, but I will."

Ornora nods. "Good." She steps back into the group.

Arer speaks again. "At some point on Saturday, DeGlasse is going to drop a code. I do not know how it will be worded or phrased, but he is a mesmer, and it will likely be veiled as something other than a code. The format of it is such; Ornora?"

Ornora steps forward and conjures an illusion of a grassy field. Two men are standing at opposite ends.

"Both of those are members of the Order, and neither know the other is." Arer says. "The one on the right knows crucial information for the Order, and the one on the left is heading to the Chantry. Look."

The two men approach each other, and greet each other casually. The one on the right makes small talk, looking nervous and anxious. Then, he gets an idea. "Where are you headed?" he asks. The other replies, "I can't tell you." The one on the right nods to himself. "Surely you can tell the untold?" the other starts, before smiling. "Only if I know the unknown. I am heading for the Chantry." "Then you must take this news to..." The illusion dissolves, resetting at it's original state.

Now, the one on the left is not a Whispers member," Arer says.

The scene plays out as before, with the one on the right asking where the other is going, to which he replies, 'it's a secret', and does not respond properly to the code prompt.

"Do you understand the code, Initiates?" he asks, when the illusion dissolves.

"Yes," Kasmeer Inafit replies.

"If somebody said the code to someone who wasn't Whispers," Catava answers with a frown, "and they were in a playful mood, they might say something similar right back. How do you stop that?"

"By not saying it in a cheerful or lighthearted manner, Initiate," Arer says sternly. "This code is not play."

"Understood, sir," Catava says with a salute.

"Is there anything else?" Kasmeer asks.

"DeGlasse will not know who you are, until you answer in code. _Try_ to do it in a believable fashion!"

"Yes, sir!" Kasmeer replies.

"Your identities are Catava Anoif and Kasmeer Inafit?" Arer checks.

"Yes," Catava answers.

"Then go. DeGlasse is an isolated Agent, meaning he is cut off from most communication."

Not knowing why Arer had informed them of that last bit, Tiffany and Fiona leave the Chantry.

* * *

 _Author's Notes:_

* I will be writing and posting a one-shot about this happening, but it will not happen in this version of TR. Edit: This is apparently not happening any time soon. Oh well.

So how do you like Tiffany's reaction? Honestly, revenge was too short, and death too quick for DeLana. And in the original, Zojja says that Uzolan is dead, but he is not even listed as an enemy on the wiki, so I'm just going to play it as he escaped to some Separatist hideout and is never seen again.

The next couple chapters will be from Fiona's perspective, trying to help Tiffany.


	17. Chapter 17: Cedda

SOLDIERS, SCHOLARS, AND SPIES

* * *

Summary: Tiffany and Fiona go to see Mat and Ayla, and they crack Tiffany open, and she realizes that she can't hide from Beorn's death. The next day, she, Fiona, and Forgal head to Cragstead and Lashoosh, meeting an asura named Cedda on the way, who loosens up Tiffany.

* * *

Chapter seventeen: Cedda

* * *

 _Author's Notes:_

Chapter thirty-one, when you combine both _Tyria's Real!?_ and _Soldiers, Scholars, and Spies_ together. I can't believe I've written so much! (hint: I've never written this much)

And also: Vriré is now my asura warrior character, modeled after the Vriré in this story. The name was free, too!

Oh no! I've been reading the Wheel of Time recently, meaning that I've been reading a book in the past tense. And since I learned writing from reading, I've been slipping back into past tense a bit. Please tell me if you see that happening where it shouldn't! Everything about Beorn will be in past tense, of course...

Eeeei! The next couple chapters will be coming fast and furious, I tell you. I can't wait for DeGlasse's training to start! But I promise I won't slight the chapters in-between. What with Tiffany's thing over Beorn, going to Lashoosh, staying at Cragstead, and everything in-between, the next couple chapters are going to be action-packed!

And if they're not, something vital to storyline is happening. You know me, and I just simply can't wait! I needa write, so,

 _ **Okay, here's the story now!**_

* * *

"Let's go see Mat and Ayla," Fiona suggests. "We've nothing else to do today, and we have the whole afternoon."

"Yeah. We've been kind of leaving them out of everything, aren't we?" Tiffany agrees.

* * *

When the two arrive at the Sartini house, Mat and Ayla are in opposite ends of the yard, stubbornly not looking at each other.

"What's the matter?" Fiona calls as she and Tiffany approach.

"Nothing!" Mat hollers back. There is a touch of something in his voice - victory? Satisfaction? - Fiona can't tell what.

"There is very much so, _so_ something the matter!" Ayla says, approaching them. "Mat tore up the copy of Miss Eda's recipe that she gave me!"

"Well, you hid my sling and stones," Mat retorts.

"Oh, dear," Tiffany sighs.

"Where's Beorn?" Ayla asks almost immediately.

Fiona's eyes widen and she veils her presence with an illusion.

Tiffany bites her lip and stares hard at the house. Glancing at the children, her face tightens momentarily before relaxing. She starts mumbling under her breath.

"Yeah, where is he?" Mat asks curiously, the children's argument forgotten for the moment.

"Gone, somewhere..." Tiffany waves a hand vaguely to the southeast, behind and to her right.

Fiona reads symbolism (even though there probably isn't any) in the gesture - normally a person would have said Beorn was her right-hand man, but Tiffany is left-handed, so whenever she hovered over somebody and helped them with things (once at a Mothers Day tea party), she hung on their left. As a result, Beorn normally hovered to her left, as well. Gesturing to the other side would mean Beorn is no longer her left-hand man, and behind means he's gone, past, forgotten. Fiona grimaces.

Also, in that direction there isn't much, before a person would have to circle back because of the mountainous terrain that had been the Bandithaunt Caverns (before she and Tiffany had cleared it out, of course. They really had to think of a better name for it).

"So, he's visiting Miss Eda?"

"Or exploring the bandits' old hideout?" Mat guesses.

Tiffany's face screws up in concentration. Beorn had been at all those places, as well. Tiffany exhales slowly.

"What's the matter, Tiffany?" Ayla continues. "Do you miss him?"

Tiffany's lower lip quivers. "Yes," she says at last, bursting into tears. "I miss him very much..."

Fiona steps out of her illusion and lays a comforting hand on Tiffany's shoulder. "It'll be alright," she tells her sister kindly.

"He's gone..." Tiffany says in a choked-up voice. "He's not coming back."

"Did you have an argument?" Mat asks in concern, trading an embarrassed glance with Ayla.

"N-no," Tiffany sobs. "I would never get in an argument with him. I couldn't! The link... I would have already known his side of the story."

Mat and Ayla glance at each other uncomfortably. Katherine pokes her head out the door. From the distance, she doesn't see Tiffany's tears. "Tiffany! Fiona! What a nice surprise! Come in, come in! Richard, we have visitors!" she adds, turning back into the house.

Fiona, her hand still on Tiffany's shoulder, steers her into the house. Tiffany slumps despondently in a chair, Fiona next to her. Mat and Ayla sit nervously on the sofa.

Katherine reenters the room and stops in surprise at seeing Fiona hovering over Tiffany like a protective mother bear... although those terms might not sit well with Tiffany, despite being quite ironic.

"Why, what's the matter?" she asks in surprise.

"She won't tell us," Mat replies disconcertedly.

"She's sad," Ayla adds.

Katherine glances at Fiona. Fiona looks back sadly, tears starting to her eyes at the thought of Beorn being gone.

Katherine sits on the chair nearest to Tiffany. "What's the matter, dear?" she asks kindly. Tiffany had been watching over her children like their mother while they were out helping people in the south, until a week or so ago. Tiffany is like her own child now. "It's alright, you can tell us."

Richard pauses outside the door to the sitting room. His wife almost never uses that tone. He carefully slips into the room and sits in between Mat and Ayla. He catches Fiona's eye.

Fiona sighs bitterly, and closes her eyes tightly.

There is silence in the Sartini sitting room, except for Tiffany's soft sobs.

' _At least she's getting it out,_ ' Fiona thinks. She catches the eyes of Mat and Ayla briefly, before looking away.

"Fi... just show them," Tiffany whispers after a few minutes.

Fiona glances at Tiffany worriedly, before making it appear as if the room is clear of the low table in the middle.

On the cleared space, she replays Beorn's last seconds from her perspective. As this illusion is an actual event drawn from memory, it is sharper, clearer, and more detailed than most other illusions she has created. It actually doesn't look much like an illusion, and the tell-tale shimmers are few.

The Sartini family watches in stunned silence as the memory loops and replays over and over. Fiona makes sure to include Tiffany's enraged lunge at DeLana.

Fiona notices Tiffany looking at her projected illusion with a blank stare. Fiona softly ends the illusion on the next playthrough.

"Oh, you poor dear," Katherine says after a moment. "Oh, you poor, poor dear," she says, now crying herself.

Richard now understands the tone Katherine uses. He doesn't know the girls well, not as well as the children or his wife do, but he has been constantly told stories of them, and so he feels he knows them.

Mat and Ayla had loved Beorn. They played with him - the bear was as big as they were - while they talked to Tiffany and Fiona, and played at pretending to shoot bandits while Tiffany and Fiona were sometimes engaged in other things. Beorn had been a close friend to them, as well.

Ayla is crying, and Mat is stubbornly trying to keep the tears back (and failing terribly).

"We need to have a memorial for him," Fiona says at last. "I... Tiffany, his body wasn't there when I went for it."

Tiffany's eyes widen dramatically. "What?" she whispers, stunned.

"It must have been a last-ditch attempt to get to you," Fiona continues, hardened steel in her voice. "There were some Separatists still alive afterwards, you know. I didn't tell you because..."

"I know," Tiffany says simply. "It's alright. But where...?"

"Who knows?" Fiona asks rhetorically. "But we can still have a memorial."

"Yes, yes we can," Tiffany replies determinedly. "I missed the others, but... but I will honor Beorn's life and sacrifice."

Fiona knows what she means. Tiffany had not logged on in time to unlock the first episodes of Living World Season 3, which were Eir and Trahearne's memorials, as far as she can tell. Tiffany had been in the process of unlocking them one way or another, but it hadn't happened before the map.

"We should go home," Fiona adds. "Do you want to come? I'm sure Petra could use a helping hand, and Deborah a like-minded soul."

"Oh, of course," Katherine replies. "We'll all come."

Tiffany and Fiona rise, as do the Sartinis. They all waypoint on the spot.

* * *

Tiffany begins walking home despondently, Fiona at her side. The whole group leaves the place where Beorn normally walks conspiciously vacant.

When they arrive home, Logan is there. Mat and Ayla look at him curiously, and Richard and Katherine shift on their feet nervously. Fiona is amused at their discomfort.

"Tiffany," Logan says gravely. "I didn't have time the other day, or even earlier, to give my condolences on your loss."

Tiffany cracks a sad smile. "It's alright," she replies softly. "I'll... I'll live."

"Tiffany, of course you'll live," Petra scolds, coming over. "It's whether you'll be alright that's the issue, here."

"We're worried about you, Tiffany," Katherine adds.

Fiona can sense the beginning of a friendship between Katherine and Petra.

"We'll have a memorial for him," Fiona informs Logan.

"After we get back from the Shiverpeaks," Tiffany tells Fiona. "We don't have enough time today."

"So, Thursday?" Fiona suggests.

"Three days should be good," Tiffany nods. "Logan... you can invite anyone you think will care."

"I'll be sure to," Logan replies sincerely.

"That goes for all of you," Tiffany informs the rest of the group. "Fiona, what about Sieran?"

"She doesn't know you," Fiona replies. "I think it best to save introducing for a time when we're not... mourning."

"Right," Tiffany replies, going quiet.

"Where's Deborah?"

"Right - " Deborah says, coming down the staircase, outfitted with her Seraph gear. She stops when she sees Logan. "Captain Thackeray, sir!" she says, saluting. "I'm ready for my assignment."

"I think I'll let you stay home today, Sergeant," Logan replies. "This is a house of mourning, after all."

"Th-that's very kind of you, sir," Deborah replies, surprised and a tad confused over what to do next. She settles on disappearing back up the staircase when Logan turns his attention elsewhere.

All the rest of the day, people that Tiffany knows stop by to give their condolences about Beorn. Fiona tells them all to invite anyone who might care.

Later in the afternoon, Fiona notes Tiffany withdrawing into herself and not speaking much. Petra notices it too, and orders Tiffany up to bed.

Tiffany trudges up the stairs and collapses onto her bed, staring at the ceiling. Fiona sits on hers, on the other side of the room, and watches her concernedly.

Tiffany begins sobbing softly, mourning her companion. Fiona lets her alone, and quietly moves to her desk in the corner, writing down a list of the things the pair need to get done. It is not a long list. Tiffany probably knows more. But Fiona won't bother her.

Instead, Fiona moves to writing a message to Sieran, explaining that she will be unavailable for the next week, and if that is alright. Sieran had heard a lot about Tiffany from Fiona, and so Fiona explains what happened with Beorn, and that she needs to watch over Tiffany for a while.

Fiona slips out the room and sends the letter. She and Tiffany had learned that messages were sent two ways; long-distance on carrier pigeons, like the letter the White Mantle had sent Tiffany ages ago, or with a messenger. Fiona sends this one with the former, as she does not know where Sieran is.

When she returns, Tiffany has cried herself to sleep. Fiona smiles sadly and pulls the covers over Tiffany, before going to bed herself.

On the rooftop next door, Vriré waypoints back to the Chantry of Secrets and contacts Agent Ihan, as the Whispers agent with the most contact with Tiffany, and quizzes him about her interests and personality. She likes what she finds.

* * *

The next morning, due to having gone to bed so early, Tiffany and Fiona awaken early. Petra and Andrew are still asleep, but Deborah is already gone to her post.

"To Hoelbrak," Tiffany remembers. "Forgal will meet us there. And then - eee!"

"You're really this excited about helping quaggans?" Fiona queries.

"No, I'm excited about going to Cragstead!" Tiffany replies, as they step through the gate into Lion's Arch.

"Alright, so tell me about Cragstead," Fiona replies as they hand over the payment to the asura near the Hoelbrak gate.

"It's where Braham lives!" Tiffany replies excitedly, just before they step through the gate.

"Oh," Fiona replies. "Well, I suppose in that case, I'm also excited...ish."

Tiffany sighs. "I wonder where Forgal is?"

"We should wait here, I suppose..." Fiona replies slowly. "Do you remember what the layout of the Shiverpeaks is, and how we'd get to north of Hoelbrak?"

"Nope," Tiffany replies. "Besides, Forgal said to wait in Hoelbrak."

"Alright. We'll stay around the gate, then." Fion decides.

"Did you say Forgal? Forgal Kernsson?" asks a nearby norn.

"Yes," Fiona replies.

"Fiona!" the norn says in recognition. "Did you find that quaggan village you were looking for?"

"Aki!" Fiona replies in surprise. "Yes, I did. This is my sister, I did I tell you about Tiffany?"

"No, you didn't." Aki repplies. "And I see you didn't forget that I'm not achy."

Fiona snorts a laugh. Tiffany smiles. "You two seem to get along. So who's this... achy?"

Both Fiona and Aki roar in laughter. Tiffany watches in amusement. "You know you're acting like a drunken norn?" she informs Fiona.

"Hey! I resemble* that!" Aki protests cheerfully.

"I know _you_ do," Tiffany retorts. "It's Fiona here I'm worried about."

"Oh, er, uh, Tiffany," Fiona says, her eyes widening while she backs away. "I've _never_ been a drunken norn!"

Tiffany bursts out laughing for all of two seconds, before stopping abruptly. She stares into space, her eyes glazed over.

"Oh, Tiffany," Fiona says sadly, placing a hand on her shoulder. "It's alright."

Tiffany heaves a great sigh, before shaking her head and refocusing on Aki, who is looking on confusedly. "You know Forgal?" she asks.

"Yes. He's in the Vigil Billet."

"Where's that?" Fiona enquires. "I've not been to Hoelbrak besides passing through to find those jotun camps you pointed out. Tiffany's been through even less."

"Do you know Southern Watchpost waypoint?" Aki queries. Tiffany and Fiona disappear in a puff of blue, and Aki follows.

* * *

"It's right through there," Aki says, pointing west.

"Thank you, Aki," Fiona replies.

As Tiffany heads in the direction Aki pointed out, Aki asks Fiona what happened with Tiffany.

"She's a ranger, and her companion died," Fiona replies. "Excuse me, I have to stay with her."

"I understand," Aki replies, turning away as Fiona hurries after Tiffany.

"Forgal!" Tiffany calls.

"Crusader!" Forgal replies, approaching them. "Are you ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be," Tiffany shrugs with a pained grimace.

"Do you have Eastern Watchpost waypoint?" Forgal asks.

Tiffany and Fiona puff away, and Forgal follows.

* * *

"It'll take us a long while to get there," Forgal informs them. "Be ready to walk a ways."

"Is it uphill or down?" Fiona asks.

"Neither, really," Forgal replies. "We'll just follow the road north once we get through the pass."

The threesome set out through the pass, and once through are again near Horncall waypoint, where Forgal turns north.

After a long while walking, they approach Twinspur Haven, a Lionguard outpost. Forgal waves at one older Lionguard as they pass through, but he doesn't stop.

"There's a stretch of unguarded roar from here to the next haven," one Lionguard informs them. "The only break is Edenvar's steading, a little off the road, but they're closer to Crossroads Haven than here."

"We'll manage," Fiona assures him.

An asura joins their group silently. She carries twin axes at her sides, but she has no other visible weapons.

"We don't need an escort," Forgal tells the diminutive asura.

"I'm not an escort," the asura replies. "I simply happen to following the same path as you."

"Mind telling us your name, then?" Tiffany asks warily.

"Cedda," the asura replies. "And you are?"

"Tiffany."

"Fiona."

"Forgal Kernsson."

Cedda strikes up a conversation, chatting to them about inconsequential things. She ever so briefly touches upon Tiffany's demeanour, but stops almost before she realizes what happened with Beorn. Tiffany smiles at the consideration Cedda is showing.

Somehow, Cedda manages to keep Tiffany talking, garnering respect from both Fiona and Forgal, as Tiffany had been quiet - much quieter than normal - before Cedda had come along.

Occasionally, Tiffany comes close to saying something dangerous, but when Fiona looks at her concernedly, Tiffany smiles briefly, reassuring Fiona.

Cedda keeps Tiffany's mind off Beorn, which Tiffany likes. She speaks of bits and pieces of asuran history, which Tiffany engages with excellently, mentioning that she studies history, and finds it intriguing.

Fiona snorts and explains that Tiffany does _not_ find history intriguing, she _loves_ it to _death_.

The group of four laugh, before Cedda asks Tiffany a hard lore question. Tiffany fires back the answer, and asks a question in return.

When they pass through Crossroads Haven, it is a little past noon, and so the threesome stop for a meal, before pressing onwards.

"There's a jungle of corrupted ice and Sons of Svanir to the north," one traveler informs them. "You'd best go either east, to Cragstead or Butcher's Block, or else west."

"I wasn't planning on going straight north," Forgal informs the traveler. The three head towards Cragstead, while Cedda heads the other way.

Tiffany has to strangle a smile at the name of the charr settlement past Cragstead that the traveler had mentioned - Butcher's Block. She trades an amused glance with Fiona.

Forgal, realizing that Butcher's Block seems humorous to Tiffany, explains, "they have a recurring festival called Meatoberfest. It's made-up so the charr soldiers can blow off steam."

Tiffany laughs. "That's funny. I wish we did that in Kryta. It would make being tense all the time so much fun, because I would know a festival was coming."

Fiona smiles. She and Forgal exchange a knowing look.

"So, Fiona. I've introduced you to Forgal, when will you introduce me to Sieran?" Tiffany asks a while later.

"After... things," Fiona says.

"So, who's this Sieran?" Forgal asks.

"She's the one who takes me on missions, like the way you do with Tiffany. Learning Priory things is probably a lot harder than learning Vigil things," Fiona replies.

Forgal raises an eyebrow at learning that Fiona is Priory, but does not comment.

"Alright, we're at Cragstead," Forgal says, not long after.

There is a large gate in front of them, but it is open. Forgal leads the way. "I know the local skaald, a fellow by the name of Munin. I came here once or twice, to meet his friends."

Tiffany makes a shushing motion at Fiona behind Forgal's back. ' _Don't mention Braham, don't mention Braham,_ ' she mouths.

Fiona can figure out the word 'Braham' and the shushing motion, so she gets the message. She nods.

A minute later, they are inside a warm lodge, and Forgal is introducing them to the skaald.

"These are my friends," Forgal says, "Tiffany and Fiona Tassof."

"And you're staying for a day or so, right? Closest lodge to that quaggan village?" Skaald Munin queries.

"Lashoosh, yes," Forgal confirms.

"Well, you've come to the right place. I've got space for you," the storyteller informs them. "Will you stay here the rest of the day, or continue on?"

"We'll go to memorize the waypoints, and then we'll be back," Forgal informs his friend.

"I see. You joined the Vigil, then?" Munin asks.

"Yes," Forgal replies. "And this young woman is my... student."

"Hm. She seems to have learned well. She seems quiet, though," the skaald observes.

"She has recently had a... " Forgal trails off, trying to think of a word.

"Her companion died," Fiona says quietly.

"Ahh, ranger, is it?" Munin says, already nodding to himself. "Your student, you say? She seems capable enough. How is she?"

Forgal interprets the question as it was intended. "She's already a Crusader."

"Ahh, she has potential, then." It isn't a question. "There are several Cragsteaders who show some potential, you know. Perhaps in the evenings you could...?"

"If I'm not tired out talking to quaggan," Forgal replies. "We have to go, now, or we'll be too late to reach Lashoosh."

"Go on, don't let me keep you," the skaald shoos.

"He seems nice," Tiffany says as they leave Cragstead. Inside, she is excited. Did Forgal just say he'd help train young Cragsteaders? ' _When was Braham born, again? Well, I know he was eighteen for Heart of Thorns, so he should be sixteen or seventeen now. That's young, I'm sure. I wonder what I can do? I was excited about coming here, I never thought how I'd get to know him._ '

It takes the group the rest of the day to get to Lashoosh, and Tiffany is thankful they will be waypointing in the future.

Right next to Lashoosh is a steading, but they are suspicious and unwelcoming, and Tiffany is glad they are staying at Cragstead, even without the possibility of meeting Braham.

* * *

When the threesome waypoint back to Cragstead, it is late, and all of them are tired. Fiona's feet are sore.

The next morning, Tuesday, they all waypoint to Lashoosh. Fiona lets Forgal do the talking, and watches Tiffany, who is still reluctant to get in the water.

"It's smaller than Falooaloo. And more spread out," Tiffany notes.

"Yes, I agree. But all quaggans are different," Fiona replies.

The quaggans' problem, it seems, are the Sons of Svanir from Jormabakke Steading, which also houses Icebrood and is covered in corrupted ice.

"We can clear them out for you," Tiffany tells the quaggan.

"Coo! Thank you," Varonos Marlooga says happily. "They are down the water to the south, the little water peninsula. Foo on bad ice! Then follow the road and take the north path when it splits. Keep going straight once the path stops, and then you will see the bad ice."

"We'll do our best," Tiffany promises.

On the way to Jormabakke, Cedda joins them. "I heard you were hunting Icebrood and Sons of Svanir," she explains. "Mind if I accompany you?"

"We can always use an extra blade," Forgal replies. "Or two," he adds, noting Cedda's twin axes.

On the way, they find out that Cedda is staying with her friend Jimden at Durgar's homestead, the place that didn't like their group. Cedda starts quizzing Tiffany on why the quaggans are moving south. Tiffany doesn't fail the impromtu test.

Once at Jormabakke, Tiffany raises a loud shout. Sons of Svanir come running, but Tiffany is ready. She spins into the middle of them with her axes twirling. Cedda strikes those on the outside of the cluster around Tiffany, bringing down as many as Tiffany does with her crazy dance. Then, ten seconds after she started, Tiffany stops.

The Svanir swarm her, but then Tiffany lets out a loud howl. With one axe she strikes at and Svanir that get near her, while sticking the other in the air. Fiona's illusionary greatsword smacks into her hand, and she uses the heavy weapon as a one-handed sword, using momentum in her swings to keep it from hitting the ground while she slashes with her other hand.

Forgal draws a horn from it's place at his side, blowing it loudly. Some of the more delicate towers of ice topple, and Icebrood attack him from all sides. Fiona's illusions are assisting in both Forgal's fight and Tiffany's, and it is hard for her to focus her illusions on two different fights. But she manages.

Soon, there are no more Sons of Svanir. But the corrupted ice is gathering together, forming Icebrood. Tiffany doesn't dull her weapons on the ice, instead wholly using Fiona's greatsword. Fiona also generates an illusionary greatsword for Cedda, who picks it up, using it like a one-handed sword with both hands. Forgal keeps blowing his horn to root out any more Svanir or Icebrood.

After a while, there are no Icebrood left, either. By this time it is well past noon, having spent a while in Lashoosh talking to the quaggans.

Investigating the area to ensure there are no more hostiles, the group discover a waypoint. After ensuring there are no more Icebrood or Svanir in the area, they head back to Lashoosh, Cedda still talking animatedly with Tiffany.

Once they inform the quaggan that their problem is over, Cedda invites them to meet her friends at the steading.

Tiffany, who had loosened up considerably under Cedda's influence, explains that the steaders there are suspicious of them.

"Oh, that's because they don't know you," Cedda explains. "If I introduce you, they won't mind."

"Then, I'd love to meet your friends," Tiffany agrees. "It's not like we've got anywhere to go in a hurry."

* * *

 _Author's Notes:_

How do you like it?

Cookies for anyone who can guess who Cedda is!

I realized too late that Lashoosh has very few threats around it (which is why they aren't in as dire a situation as Falooaloo was) but they still had a fun time. This just means they'll be home sooner, yay!

I have this odd urge to put a quote mark at the end of sentences even when I'm not writing a story, because the way I'm writing is talking, and I am in the habit of putting " around talking. I do it in GW2 chat, too. Just a fun fact.

* When Aki said 'I resemble that' I meant 'resemble', not 'resent', as you might expect.


	18. Chapter 18: Breaking Habits

SOLDIERS, SCHOLARS AND SPIES

* * *

Summary: Cedda leads Tiffany, Fiona, and Forgal to meet her friends in Durgar's steading. Afterwards, the group of three head back to Cragstead and train the older teens a bit. Tiffany and Fiona gain the respect of most of the young norn, before Tiffany is bullied by some of the stuck-up ones. Afterwards, Braham and the Heros of Shaemoor have a conversation.

* * *

Chapter eighteen: Breaking Habits

* * *

 _Author's Notes:_

So, in the last chapter's _A/N_ , I said I wouldn't skimp out on these couple of chapters, and then I went and did it, last chapter. I feel like I should have put more in, like a lot more in, but... it just seemed... complete enough, but not. You know? It was mostly information, whereas I think that the most valuable part of my story is the dialogue. (Probably because that's the most important part of GW2, but yeah) but I also feel like that was all I could do. I really felt like I left out a lot about Cedda, but... oh well. I'll try to do better on this chapter.

Also, I thought it would take _longer_ to quell the threats to Lashoosh! Oh well. All this hard work for nothing! It's okay, visiting Cragstead and meeting Cedda are the important parts.

And the C in Cedda is pronounced as an S. Sedda.

And thanks for the reviews!

To Fiona K Sparrow: Reviving is not allowed in Tyria. It's not a thing in real life, so why would it be allowed in Tyria? Reviving is there so you don't have to start over if you die in-game. So Tiffany can't revive Beorn, much as she might want to. I wish she could too! /cry

Don't you think that the next sentence is kind of tradition by now?

 _ **Okay, here's the story now:**_

* * *

Cedda leads them into Durgar's homestead and introduces them to Durgar.

"Aren't you the fellas who were lurking around here last night?" Durgar asks suspiciously.

"We were memorizing the waypoint," Tiffany replies. "Did we bother you?"

"Well, no," Durgar admits.

"They're with me," Cedda informs him sternly. "Can they come in, or not?"

"Fine, fine," Durgar says grumpily. "Go play."

"He's always grumpy like that," Cedda explains as she leads them around the steading to the back. "Here, I want you to meet my acquaintance, Jimden."

The back of the homestead slopes gently down to the ground, and it is easy to just walk onto the roof. There, they find a human and an asura.

"This is Jimden, and his friend Van," Cedda introduces. "Jimden, Van, this is Tiffany, Fiona, and Forgal."

Hellos are exchanged, before Van tells them about what he calls 'the owl incident'.

"If you don't believe me, go knock on that tree over there," he says, amused.

"Please don't," Jimden begs.

Fiona smiles cunningly. A clone appears near the tree and knocks on it.

A large owl - a snowy owl, Tiffany notes - flies down, and straight at Jimden, hooting. Tiffany thinks this happens to the owl routinely, and it is amused by flying at Jimden. Tiffany supposes it's her ranger intuition, because there is absolutely no reason for her to think so. Aside from the tone of it's hoots, which only an accomplished ranger would detect. But all that does is remind her of Beorn.

"No!" Jimden howls. "Stop it! Go away! Shoo!" Jimden starts running around in circles, the owl amusedly chasing him. Fiona has a hard time keeping her smile in.

Tiffany is not smiling. She is thinking about Beorn. She still can't believe he's gone. She tentatively pulls down the wall blocking her off from the connection, probing at it some more, but she can't stand the emptiness and closes it back up again. She silently mouths a line from a song she knew, before coming to Tyria - I See Fire - 'And if we should die tonight/Then we should all die together'. It almost brings her to tears, but she ruthlessly shoves them down.

After a while, the owl flies away, and Jimden returns to his previous spot, almost crying with rage and relief.

Fiona notices Tiffany had zoned out, and places a hand on her shoulder, wondering what triggered it this time. Fiona feels Tiffany's tense muscles relax under her touch. ' _At least it's helping,_ ' Fiona thinks.

"We should get going," Forgal says after a bit. "It's late. We can stay at Cragstead tonight - perhaps see what the youngsters there know - and then head for Hoelbrak tomorrow."

"Hey, that's when I'm heading back!" Cedda says. "Think we could take the journey together?"

"We can wait for you at Crossroads Haven," Fiona replies, automatically accepting the suggestion. Tiffany is always more upbeat with Cedda around. "It'll probably take a lot longer for you to get there than it will for us."

"Oh, of course," Cedda replies. "It'll probably be noon by the time I get there."

"We can stay at Cragstead, then, instead of waiting all morning," Tiffany decides. "It's an easy waypoint from Cragstead to the haven."

"Well, that's settled," Forgal replies. "Let's head out."

"Bye, Cedda!" Fiona waves.

The three waypoint out, all wincing at the coin they are forfeiting by doing so. Fiona knows there is at least one mountain pass between here and Cragstead, meaning that they are waypointing across a 'zone' border. It is far from Cragstead to the pass, and far from the pass to Lashoosh, and, for all she knows from her fading memory (also, she'd never been to this zone) they could have crossed a whole zone. In-game it meant nothing (they easily have a lot of coin, there) but in Tyria it is different - that coin goes to important things.

* * *

Forgal leads the way back into Cragstead. The skaald, Munin, meets them, and tells them that he informed the young people of Cragstead, and they should all be in the center of the cluster of steadings, the 'town square' in Krytan terms (whereas it's never called a town, in the Shiverpeaks), soon.

Sure enough, quite soon, the clear area that seems to be a marketplace clears of people, and the young people start coming in.

Forgal, Tiffany, and Fiona are at one end of the clearing.

Tiffany eagerly scans the crowd, looking for a familiar face. However, she realizes how short she is - she's an average-size human, but even these norn late-teens are a foot above her head. She glances at Fiona with raised eyebrows. Fiona nods back with an amused smile.

Then, Tiffany looks at Forgal, and really thinks about his height. He's _huge_. He'd barely fit under the roof at home back on earth, hunched over! And that roof was - is, Tiffany corrects herself roughly - nine feet high! Tiffany barely comes above his waist, now that she thinks about it.

Refocusing on looking for Braham, she scans the small crowd of teenage norn, hampered by the fact that they are all taller than her. She doesn't see him, but supposes she'll find him during the lesson. It is only midafternoon.

"So, you're all here to learn how to fight?" Forgal rumbles.

Variations of 'yes!' are heard throughout the crowd.

"First lesson," Forgal continues; "never drop your weapon. Never leave it anywhere. Don't go somewhere without it. If others view that as offensive, don't let it bother you. Or, if you have the skill, just hide it somehow," he adds, glancing at Tiffany.

Several mocking snorts are heard. "Like I'd ever leave my weapon," Tiffany hears.

"I don't care if you've learned this before!" Forgal roars, obviously having heard it, too. "You'll learn it better this time!"

Tiffany raises her eyebrows at Forgal. He'd never been this harsh with _her_. Maybe he'd seen something in her when they'd first met? Perhaps it was her staunch reply to his 'I don't care what you've done, I care what you do' lecture.

"Now, spread out and show me what you know," Forgal instructs.

The group scatters over the large clearing, leaving space between each other, before glancing at Forgal uncertainly. How...?

"Me and my assistants will inspect you, one-on-one. Save your show-off for when we're inspecting." Forgal responds to looks in a no-backtalk tone.

Even so, many look at the humans and snort in derision.

Tiffany wonders how well she'll be able to do this, being a foot or, more often, even shorter, than the group, but she steps forward boldly, Fiona near her.

Tiffany, Fiona, and Forgal scatter throughout the crowd, the norn backing away from whoever one of them is standing by, to give them more room.

Tiffany first watches a young necromancer display her prowess. She summons a small group of minions, before attacking nothing with a magical axe. She holds it out, and sickly-green slashes appear in the air several feet away. Tiffany nods; ranged attacks are always nice. The young norn continues to show Tiffany all her varied attacks, showing just the faintest trace of a sneer on her face.

Fiona is watching a thief. After a minute, she sighs. "You _do_ know I can't see you half the time, right?" she asks sarcastically. "I know you can stealth, now show me what you can do with these," she says, gesturing at his daggers. He eyes her superiorly, snorting under his breath (but still obviously meant for her to hear), before dancing through his forms smoothly.

Forgal is watching a young warrior, shouting instructions while the other shows his moves, making him terribly nervous. "Shape up!" Forgal roars. "Stabbing like that will get you killed!"

Tiffany makes her way through the crowd to Forgal. "Warmaster, they aren't training to join the Vigil," she says loudly, over the nosie. "They're interested in hunting and building their legend. Sure, jabbing like this might not kill any Risen, but it _will_ stick right in a... murellow's neck. That's what these folks are concerned about."

Tiffany doesn't realize it, but she just gained the respect of many of the norn there, despite her size.

"And what about the Icebrood, or the Svanir, Crusader?" Forgal replies. "We were told just yesterday that there is a camp choke-full of Icebrood and Svanir just west of here. You think they won't attack?"

"Why don't you ask them what their goal is? Hunting, growing their legend, or taking down Svanir and Icebrood?" Fiona retorts. "They do have an opinion."

"Alright," Forgal replies, obviously humoring them. "Split up in three groups; hunters, fighters, and those who want to build their legend. And those who want to learn a little of everything," he adds.

The group of hunters is smaller compared to the rest, as most of them already know how to hunt and don't consider themselves to need much instruction in that area. It is generally the younger ones, and therefore the shorter ones, in that category.

The miscellaneous group is the largest, and Tiffany supposes that 'building a legend' includes Icebrood and Svanir. Forgal is ruthless when he trains, apparently.

As the group shows their profiencies to the three, Tiffany keeps a sharp eye out for Braham. Fiona does, too, but she knows Braham less. Those who are done move to the side so there is more room for the three 'inspectors'.

Eventually Fiona espies Braham. She makes eye contact with Tiffany, who is amusedly watching a mesmer by the name of Aesa Adilsdottir, and jerks her head in his direction. He is impatiently waiting, several yards away.

"Hey, er, Aesa, my sister can watch you, she's a mesmer too," Tiffany informs the norn.

"Really? Cool!" the mesmer says in delight. Fiona holds in a laugh.

Tiffany slips away and approaches Braham. She repeats what she had said to every other she had inspected. "What is your name?"

"Braham," he replies. Tiffany notes he did not mention his last name, as the others had. She says nothing of it, however.

"Well, Braham," she continues with her routine, "what profession are you?"

"Guardian."

"Alright, I know a little about guardians. Show me that bubble-shield thing."

Braham already had his weapons out, and so the shield appears, visible because of it's blue sheen. After a moment, it starts changing in size. Tiffany nods to herself. She had suspected guardians could control the size, but had never been entirely sure.

"And this shield absorbs things like arrows, right?" Tiffany checks.

"And it'll push back any enemy that's already inside," Braham adds.

Tiffany blinks in surprise. "Really? This I have to see. Hey, Fiona! Come here!"

Fiona, having finished with the mesmer, comes over. "Can you make some sort of enemy?"

"Whatever for?" Fiona asks in surprise.

"Braham here says his shield will push them back if they're inside it," Tiffany explains.

"Oh, alright. It might not count as an enemy, though. Is the shield sentient or something?"

Tiffany tries to keep back a laugh. "Fiona, it's - " she freezes for a brief moment. " it's Braham that specifies I'm sure, Fiona." ' _I need to be careful! I can't slip up with game terms! I thought I was over that!_ '

"Oh," Fiona says abashedly. She generates an enemy - Icebrood - and Braham dispells the shield before bringing it up again. The Icebrood is knocked several paces away.

"Now, that is cool," Tiffany declares. ' _Why didn't Logan try that during his stupidy heroic stand in Victory or Death? Oh... maybe he did..._ '

Fiona engages with another nearby norn, an engineer, while Tiffany refocuses on Braham, whose testing proceeds much the same as the others' had.

After all of them have been tested, Forgal splits them up into profession-specific groups, before instructing them. There aren't too many guardians, most preferring warrior or ranger, or even thief, and the silk armor professions are even fewer.

Fiona is assigned to help the mesmers and Tiffany the rangers, as those are the professions they know most about. Both take a while, with Forgal instructing the warriors.

"You're not a ranger," one of the rangers mocks her as she approaches. "How can you teach us anything? Even if you are a ranger - which I doubt," he laughs, "you can't be much of one, you don't even have a companion." he gestures at the group, all of which have an assortment of animals by their side.

Tiffany takes a single, shocked step back, almost fainting, before Fiona is at her side.

"Shame!" Fiona shouts angrily at the norn. "You heard Warmaster Forgal say she was a ranger. What do you think happened to her companion, you great bully? Are you too _stupid_ to understand what a ranger not having a companion with her _means_?" Fiona is in a towering rage. She even appears to get taller (which is probably _not_ trick of the imagination). "Should I say you aren't a ranger if your companion is not by your side? What reason can you think of for not having your companion?"

Forgal glances over at the sound of his name, before shaking his head and approaching.

"She still can't be that good of a ranger, if her companion was killed," another norn replies flatly. "I mean, who would stand by and let their companion be killed?"

"Who said she did?" Fiona roars at him, now equal in height. "Who said she didn't fight for all she was worth? Every one of the twenty that were responsible was dead within the minute! And all you can think of is how well she can train you? Shame! Shame, for idiocy! Have you no sense? Have you no empathy? I'm not sure you are that great of a ranger! I could probably teach you, just from knowing Tiffany! Have you no concern? Are you not connected to your companion on the deepest level imaginable?"

"Oh, that old 'empathic connection'?" another, a female, asks derisively. "None of us use it."

Forgal tries to get Fiona's attention, but Fiona doesn't notice him.

"Oh, no wonder you need help from an apparently useless ranger," Fiona mocks. "No wonder you have no empathy, you purposely block it! No wonder you need someone who isn't even norn, isn't even a ranger herself, to tell you! We won't even bother teaching you, you're obviously too dumb to take it in! I wonder what your companions are feeling? You probably don't even know! I bet Tiffany could find out, if she took the time to. She could sense an untrained, aged owl's feelings, just earlier today." Fiona turns to Tiffany, whose eyes are closed, and hands clutched together tightly, and leads her away.

Forgal chooses that time to add his own lecture, explaining the importance of the companion bond while, at the same time, sharply reprimanding them at every turn.

Several other norn are watching Tiffany concernedly. Both women had gained respect earlier from standing up to Forgal.

"No," Tiffany tells Fiona. "They're right. I'm not good enough."

"Nobody in your situation could have done anything," Fiona replies.

"Yes," Tiffany nods. "Like normal, once I'm in the situation, nobody can get out. It's being better in the before that I need to do. If I'd only taken out DeLana earlier and escaped. If I'd only..."

"Shush, Tiff. It'll be alright. We'll train with DeGlasse, remember? We'll train with DeGlasse, and we'll be the better for it. Then we'll go beat up more Risen, perhaps. We'll go and make sure the bandit camps in western Kryta are still down, beat up some centaurs, we might even come here and show some idiotic norn how to kill Icebrood and Svanir. We might even make some friends with fellow corruption-hunters." Fiona smiles sadly. "We'll be fine. We'll learn from our mistakes, and be better for them. We'll do our best, and keep learning. It'll be alright."

Tiffany closes her eyes in emotional pain. "So you were just _playing_ dead?" she whispers. " **That's what Tiffany would always say when Beorn healed from being defeated.** " the Shilgni tells Fiona that she is speaking of her character in-game. "Also, 'back to the fight, my friend'. But the first was my favorite. **Probably because she said it more.** "

"I don't think so, Tiffany. I don't think so," Fiona replies, a definite sob in her voice. "Beorn is gone."

"Crusader Tiffany," Forgal shouts at the norn, "understood this without ever being told. She felt the connection, knew it was there for a reason, and grew with it. It is as much a part of her as her family, and more. It is a part of her personality, and she almost can't live without it! Her connection was deeper than yours will ever be, you having not grown with it! Trying to engage it now will only be a fake addition! But you can at least give your companions the connection _they_ need, even if you don't! Ever wonder why they don't seem to listen to you much?"

"How did you know that?" someone shouts.

"Because you never had your connection!" Forgal roars. "Any ranger worth his salt - and many others besides - can tell you that! Now let's see if you're as stupid with your weapons as you are with your empathy!"

All the rangers take this as a challenge. Most of them fit arrows to bows, however, some use axes or swords.

"Why don't you go aid some people who are less... of a bullying tendency?" Fiona says, leading Tiffany back. "Why not a small group, for a change? Like the guardians?"

Tiffany manages a tight smile, understanding Fiona's intent. "Yeah. Sure. You go... do your thing."

"I will, but I won't leave your side," Fiona promises, striding away, but stepping out of her own skin in the process, leaving a copy of her standing there. Or is it actually her?

Tiffany doesn't really care. She approaches the guardian group. "I really don't know much about guardians," she admits. "Why don't I instruct you on tactics instead?"

Nobody protests.

"As guardians, you'll likely be on the front lines," Tiffany instructs. "Or you'll stand back, providing support and defense for the others. That's if you're fighting in a group. If I know norn, you probably normally don't. Am I right or left?"

The guardians look puzzled for a brief moment, but Fiona bursts out laughing hysterically. And doesn't stop for quite some time. So it's a clone instructing the mesmers, then.

"We generally don't fight in a group," one of them replies cautiously.

"Alright. So you'll need a mix of defense and offense," Tiffany nods, as if she expected it. "What you won't need as much are healing abilities. Are you familiar with the term kiting?"

She hears a few tentative 'no's.

"Generally, it's when you hit, run, hit again, and run some more," Tiffany tells them. "It keeps you from getting injured by their weapon while still whittling down their - " Tiffany freezes for a brief moment before continuing, " - endurance. In your case, however, you won't be running. Give me a range on those shields. How big can you make them?"

The smallest shield comes from one of the younger guardians, and Tiffany nods. That is to be expected.

"Practice that," she orders them. "This will be your secret weapon. When something or somebody attacks you, you want to either hit them first, or, if they hit you first, activate your shield. This, as Braham demonstrated, will push them back, and out of range of melee weapons. Since the shields absorb projectiles, you'll be safe from things like bows, rifles, pistols, thrown daggers and - well, you get the picture. After you've recovered from being hit, drop the shield and hit them. Longer range for you is better, in this case. If you don't, you'll let them get close, hit right on time, and push them out again. The shield does not keep those who are already out from coming in. Am I right or left?" Tiffany already knows the answer to this one, too. The shield hadn't kept out the Risen attacking Logan in Victory or Death. ' _Do I get all my guardian knowledge from that instance? Or at least Logan?_ '

Fiona giggles, but doesn't go on and on like before.

"It doesn't keep them out," Braham says.

"Right. So you'll want to time it. The shield uses up energy. Right or left?" This time, Tiffany does not know the answer.

"Right!"

"So you'll kick the Icebrood - or whatever the enemy is - out of your personal space, and then dismiss the shield. Unless it's a ranged enemy, but you'll mostly be hunting, right? We'll discuss tactics against a ranged enemy later. After they get pushed back, they'll come charging right at you again. The more you push them back, the more time you have to prepare. You'll raise your weapon, ready to strike, for when they get close. When they do, you'll strike, at the same time as activating the shield. And you repeat until they're dead. That's if they're not too intelligent. Raven is one of the Spirits of the Wild, left or right?" Tiffany knows this. She wonders what happens when she asks a 'left' question.

"Right!" shout several indignant voices.

"Right, right, I knew that," Tiffany says as if remembering. She smiles. "Have you ever seen ravens attack by slashing repeatedly at a foe? No? Right. They swoop in, try to gouge out your eyes, and fly away. And then they come back. Has a raven ever attacked you this way?"

Only a few reply yes.

"Have you ever been able to hit them?"

"Only by timing it right. And that only worked once," one of them admits. "Ravens are smart."

"That's why you worship the Spirit of Raven, left or right?" Tiffany queries. She goes on without an answer. "She's intelligent - "

"He!" one of the norn replies, shocked.

"Sorry, he," Tiffany replies, blushing. Fiona snorts in laughter. Tiffany glares at her - or her clone? - before returning her attention to the guardians. "Back on topic. Do you see how the kiting method works?"

"Why is it called kiting?"

"Have you ever seen a kite flown?" Tiffany asks, hoping kites are used in Tyria.

"Yes."

"A kite swoops and swirls around in the sky. It swoops from left to right and back again. Think on it. See?" Tiffany pauses for a moment, giving that time to sink in. "The only failing in how the kite kites is that it's methodical. It's only failing is predictability, and can be ruined with timing, like you said. What you need to do is not be methodical. Now, normally, you are the one kiting. Hit, run, and repeat. However, with your awesome shields (really, I wish I had that!) you make _them_ kite. They are continually running at you, before getting bounced back. Again and again. The only way the can hit you is if they charge you with their weapon raised and strike you before you hit them. You carry physical shields, too, though, right or left?"

Some answer right. Others stay silent. One humourous female shouts "left!" She doesn't carry a shield. Tiffany smiles, and Fiona laughs some more.

"Fiona, go train your mesmers," Tiffany sighs at last. "I'm sure your clone can't do it nearly as well as you can."

"How...?" Braham asks in surprise.

"She can shift her focus to a clone, but it takes a lot of mental energy and leaves her real form vulnerable," Tiffany explains. "She was laughing _every_ time I said something she thought funny, meaning that even if it was her clone, she still wasn't paying attention to her job. She also is showing more awareness than her clones normally do, see, she's looking around and listening to us. But she's also mouthing words, which is an echo of what she's doing over there, see?"

The group looks over and sees another Fiona instructing the other mesmers.

Fiona cuts in talking. " - and see, I just heard Tiffany explain the same thing to the guardians over there. See? They're all looking at us, because I just said the same thing to them."

The guardians all look over at the mesmers, who turn to look at them.

"I know, it's cool, right? And - " Fiona's voice cuts out again, but she stills mouths the words.

"And we can all learn from each other," Tiffany says, amused. "You can always do things together better than you can apart. Who can explain why?"

"There is safety in numbers. That's why we have the lodges," one norn replies.

"Ten people are scarier than one," another volunteers.

"The more people around, the more eyewitnesses to your legend," one says.

"The more people in the same hunting ground, the better the habits of the animal inhabitants are known."

"And variety," Tiffany says. "You are good at defending, but your skills as a guardian are also calibrated for large groups. Your Virtues benefit others, you know that? The more people around, the more quickly something will go down. If you have a ranger, on your side, you keep up a gigantic shield and let them snipe off the enemy. That works for any long-ranged ally. If you have a necromancer or mesmer around, surround yourself with minions or clones instead of using shield energy. If you have an engineer, they can place healing or defense turrets, for the same purpose. If there is a thief, the poison they normally use is awesome. I think they can bring you to stealth, as well. I'm not sure about that, though. Warriors don't have the same defense as you - they make it up by being tougher and having heavier armor. And they do more - " Tiffany freezes again. ' _Do more damage? What am I thinking! I keep almost slipping up!'_ "They do better at offense. It's hard to defend against them. An elementalist can rejuvenate your energy with healing water, or even set up a shock field to keep enemies out. All professions are useful."

"What about all races?"

"Asura are, not only intelligent, but small," Tiffany explains. "They can go by more unnoticed than you can. Especially if they're thieves. Sylvari blend in a woody atmosphere more, plus they're the least suspicious. Who's going to question an inquisitive sylvari? Charr are good at thinking tactics and taking orders, and being meat shields. Humans are good at teamwork. Norn are good at perseverance. They'll be the ones to tell you to keep going, and stuff. But you know all about norn... left or right?"

This time, Tiffany, too, laughs, as do the rest of the group.

Fiona's clone smiles faintly. Tiffany hasn't laughed much recently. Teaching is good for her. ' _She had big plans for teaching, before Tyria,_ ' Fiona remembers. ' _She was already teaching Eden Pre-K. But I think she enjoys on-the-spot instruction rather than working out of a manual or coursework._ '

"Unity is essential. It is not necessary for living - the norn have lived a long time without more unity than the lodges and steadings. But that hasn't stopped Jormag, now has it? When your race came here he and his corruption were distant things, far to the north. Now it is at your doorstep. Do you know why you are guardians? You may have chosen it to protect your family against Svanir or Icebrood. You may have wanted to try something different from what your friends were doing. You may have been interested in any number of things to become guardians. Right or left?"

There are several nods.

"But do you know one thing guardians are good at? Guarding. Protecting. Support role. As any profession, it is easy to survive on your own. From countless people adapting their profession to suit themselves living alone or in small numbers. All professions are capable of working on their own. But guardians are heavily meant for the support role. Guardians work better in numbers. I wonder what would happen if a dozen guardians worked together?" Tiffany says, becoming speculative. She stays silent for a moment.

"But, off the topic of that for now," she says, a moment later, "you want to know about the here and now, what you can learn. I said we'd discuss ranged enemies, right or left?"

"Right."

"Your shields can absorb projectiles, but they use your energy. Can you _move_ while holding up the shield?"

"Yes."

' _Well, there goes Tendrils of Terror,_ ' Tiffany supposes. ' _It makes more sense not to move, which that fanfic used, but it's not essential to the thing._ '

"Hmm, ranged enemy... " Tiffany ponders. "What would I find daunting? Someone who ignored my shots, definitely. Close range is worse, because... Aha! You can kite _backwards_! You run up to the ranged person - once you are close enough, ranged attacks won't do much - and they'll switch to short-range weapons, and then you'll make them kite like we discussed earlier. And if they don't have a short-range weapon, they're helpless."

As Tiffany continues the tactics lesson, Fiona smiles. Tiffany is doing wonderful. Really, Fiona isn't sure she could have done better, even though she'd played a guardian for a bit and all Tiffany's knowledge comes from what the guardians tell her on the spot and what she had seen Logan and Braham do.

Not long after, Tiffnay has exhausted her store of information and advice for the guardians. Fiona has finished with the mesmers, too.

Fiona makes her way over to Forgal, who doesn't know much about rangers, and takes over while he goes back to the warriors.

Tiffany, having played an elementalist just enough to understand them (having boosted to 80 from level twenty and not bothered with a build because she was ignorant back then) makes her way over to the tiny group of elementalists. Next to them are the necromancers, which Tiffany had also played some. Only still to level twenty, but without the boost. She can do them next.

"Elementalists, hmm?" Tiffany says, walking up to them. "Show me what you can do with fire. What's your basic method of attack?"

"I throw a fireball at the enemy," one elementalist volunteers.

"I don't use much fire," another admits. Tiffany hastily replies that she doesn't need to.

"Alright, show me this fireball attack," Tiffany invites to those who do use fire.

Several look uncertain, while one or two lob a fireball safely away from others. It sizzles out in the snow.

"Can you hold a fireball?" Tiffany asks. She gets several nods in return. "Alright, the first goal is to get it hot. The hotter it is, the more it will hurt your enemy. Hold it up close, I want to feel it."

A couple of the braver ones hold out a fireball floating in their palms, while others seem uncertain. Tiffany cups her hand around the flame of one - it is not very hot, and not very large.

"I don't know how elementalists make it hot or large," Tiffany says after a moment, "but my advice would be to focus on the heat or size of it, and _will_ it larger and hotter."

After a moment, the flame grows, and Tiffany feels the heat of it mount. She steps back while it gets hotter and larger. And even more so.

"It looks like you'll be a very good elementalist," Tiffany praises. "Don't be afraid to experiment. All you needed was to be told how, but the best discoveries are you own, and come from playing with your power. All the rest of you, try that too! Let me see you all do it!"

One elementalist's flame gets small, bright, and terribly hot. Another gets a large blazing ball of flame that is cool, even to the touch. The other's flame simply dims, gets smaller and colder. He's the one that doesn't use fire much.

"There are so many possibilities with elementalists, I'm not sure we have time today. But there's only four of you, and only three using fire, so we'll manage. If your flame is small, but hot and deadly, it makes a good assassin. Can you make it less bright?"

The single, tiny flame dims until it is a pale shadow of the large cold one next to her. "It's still as hot as before," she informs Tiffany.

"Great. Now, are any of you good at water?"

The one who doesn't use the flame much raises a hand.

"Alright," Tiffany says, turning back to the one with a small flame, "I want you to throw that fire at me, and I want you," turning to the other, "to spray me with water so I don't burn up. Don't worry, it'll be fine," she adds to the one she'd told to catch her on fire."

A moment later, the tiny fireball is flying through the air towards her. Tiffany can feel the heat. It lands in her outstretched hand for just a moment before water splashes over it. She nods her thanks to the one with the water, before addressing the other.

"Wow, that is hot. How did it feel when you threw it? Like you could throw it far, like a small ball, or like a feather you couldn't throw far?"

"I felt like I could throw it wherever I wanted," the girl replies. "I don't think I needed to throw it, just will it where I wanted it to go."

"Hmm, well, try that. Send it into the snow over there, let's see how much of it melts at once."

A second tiny flame forms in her hand, before zipping out and towards the snow Tiffany had indicated. It melts into a small puddle before flickering out. The girl hunches over, panting. "I'm out," she says.

"Hmm. Well, you should practice," Tiffany advises her. "Practicing will bring up your endurance level." turning to the one with the cool flame, she frowns at it. "How small does it have to be before it's hot?" she asks.

The ball decreases in size until it is radiating a fair amount of heat. It is a rather small flame, now.

"If you want to scare people away, the bigger the flame, the better," Tiffany advises. "But if they're close enough to feel the heat and they can't, they'll know you're just bluffing. If they're that close you should try having a small hot flame, like the other girl."

"It was hotter at first," the older teen replies. "But it cooled out quickly."

"Aha!" Tiffany replies. "You just can't maintain it very long. Was it hot when you first made it?"

"Oh, very hot," the girl replies. "It was this size, and the heat of the other one that was much smaller."

"Hmm. Why don't you rest for a few minutes, and we can get back to that? I might have an idea," Tiffany replies.

The other nods and backs away.

Turning to the one with the large hot flame, Tiffany notices that the ground around them is damp and free of snow. She lets out a small giggle. The other glances down and joins her.

"You've a pretty powerful flame there," Tiffany tells her. "You could probably do whatever you wanted with fire. There's a trick I heard of that involves dropping a gigantic fireball on somebody. See if you can make it over that patch of ground over there, and crash it down. Size should be dependent on how big your target is - the smaller it is, the more focus you can put into heat."

A fireball forms above the ground Tiffany had indicated, glowing brightly for a moment, before arrowing down, sparks flying. The snow on the ground there melts quickly, before the fireball dissipates.

"How far away can you do that from?" Tiffany asks.

"The farther away, the less size and heat I can put in, so it depends on that," the elementalist responds.

"Can you make a bunch of fireballs at once and rain them down in a certain location?" Tiffany queries.

"I've made lots of fireballs at once before," the other boasts. "Watch;" she then proceeds to juggle a pattern of fire around her hands, making it into a smooth dance.

Tiffany watches in awe. ' _I wonder if I could get Lindsey Stirling to play Elements for this girl while she dances to it... no way, she isn't in Tyria. Fun thought, though! Haha._ '

"That's cool!" Tiffany says, her eyes following the flames as if in a trance. "Is it hot?"

"Not to me. Elementalists are kind of immune to that sort of thing," she explains. "But I can tell that it would be really hot."

"Nice. Can you do it far off?"

The flames zip out of her hands and into a formation ten yards away. They spin and dance around on their own.

"That is cool. With your heat and size range, you could do a lot of things. Your imagination is the only thing limiting you," Tiffany praises. "Keep practicing!"

Tiffany spends a long time with the four elementalists, going through all four elements. The ones who aren't proficient with a certain element practice with another, and, after a long time, Tiffany has taught all she knows. ' _I wonder if any of this will help when the Molten Alliance attack? Hopefully that won't happen, but still._ '

Later in the evening, after the training sessions are over, Braham approaches Tiffany.

"I'm sorry about Kali," he says nervously.

"Kali?" Tiffany asks.

"Kali the Bowman, the one who said you weren't a ranger," Braham replies quickly. "He's a jerk, and he's stupid, and... well, nobody wanted you to think of him as a... a representative of Cragstead. I just wanted to let you know that - "

"I understand, Braham," Tiffany says, looking up at him. "There's a bad egg - or more than one - everywhere. I could tell that none of the rest of you liked him. You were all glaring at him the whole time. But I was wondering - do they really not use their empathic bonds with their companions?"

"Asny, the one who said that, is just plain stupid. She likes pretending she's in charge all the time, and even though she's really younger than the rest of us, she doesn't look or act like it," Braham explains. "But all the idiots who were bullying you earlier listen to her. Most rangers in Cragstead aren't like that, but they're bullied just as much as you were for keeping their connections open. Of course, it doesn't have nearly so devastating an effect, what with - "

"I see," Tiffany replies. "I was more caught off guard than anything, but thank you for the concern, Braham."

Fiona pops up next to Tiffany, startling Braham badly. Tiffany holds in a laugh at the startled expression on his face.

"You seem nice enough," Fiona says. "Did I introduce myself? I'm Fiona Tassof, Tiffany's sister."

Tiffany mumbles under her breath, " **Do not mention Eir or I will skin you alive,** " which Braham does hear. Fiona nods imperceptibly.

"I'm Braham," Braham replies. "You seem rather protective of your sister."

"Wouldn't you be, too, under the circumstances?" Fiona asks.

"I suppose," Braham replies slowly. "Tiffany, will you, Fiona, and Forgal be doing more training tomorrow?"

"I think so," Tiffany replies. "We don't have to be at Crossroads Haven until about noon, so I suppose that's what we'll be doing all morning. We won't get much done if we have the same crowd that was here earlier, and we're all assuming you all know the basics. Just tell anyone who you think would benefit from the training to come."

"I'll not invite Kali or Asny," Braham promises. "I have to get back to Rugnar's steading. See you tomorrow!"

"See you then," Tiffany replies, making her way back to where Forgal is giving the warriors a couple last instructions.

When Forgal is done, he leads the way back to where Munin the skaald had set up places for them to spend the night.

Tiffany and Fiona spend an hour chattering away in Tyrian-based Shilgni about various topics. Why not to mention Eir to Braham, what Tiffany thinks of Cedda, Beorn, and other topics that they don't want anyone to overhear.

* * *

 _Author's Notes:_

Ahahahahaha, I love my story. I love my writing. Ahhahah.

This chapter is called Breaking Habits because Tiffany kept slipping up with game references ('whittling down their health' was a close one).

Quick question: How am I doing with Braham? I hope he stays in-character and believable. He's only sixteen at this point in time, and infer from that what you will.


	19. Chapter 19: A Chance Meeting

SOLDIERS, SCHOLARS, AND SPIES

* * *

Summary: Tiffany, Fiona, and Forgal continue training the young norn in Cragstead. Near noon, the group leaves for Crossroads Haven, where they meet up with Cedda. Fiona figures out that Cedda is Vriré from her reaction to the sleds. In Hoelbrak, the group split up to explore and, in Forgal's case, refresh his memory of the place. Tiffany and Fiona meet Eir and Garm. Afterwards, Tiffany and Fiona head home, intending to ask Deborah where the Seraph training barracks are (how could they have forgot to ask?) but Deborah is not yet home. Intending to check on the centaur war and how the bandit problems are doing, they head out to Queensdale. On their return, the three sisters talk tactics for a while before heading to bed.

* * *

Chapter nineteen: A Chance Meeting

* * *

Author's Notes:

I'm feeling odd. I haven't been feeling like writing this chapter. It'll get done... probably at least by the end of this week.

It's probably because of Beorn. I'm feeling like stopping. I know I shouldn't, that would betray Tiffany and Fiona's interests, to be stuck in limbo in wherever they are when I stop, and I'm not really considering stopping, but I feel like I have this gentle headache. Gentle headache is not a phrase that should exist, but... I don't know how to else to describe it.

I logged on Tiffany Solestrider today and I barely kept from crying when I saw Beorn. I hadn't logged on her since writing chapter 15... and seeing Beorn was just so... plus I'd forgotten Beorn would be there. So I was suitably caught off guard, too.

And I _haven't_ been pronouncing Zojja's name wrong! Logan, Rytlock, and Kudu (at least) all say it zodja, whereas others (including the PC) says zoje, the _je_ pronounced as when it means 'I' in French. Kind of.

And I'm so sorry for the long wait! But I wrote this chapter, and then started the next chapter, and couldn't tell if they would be merged or not. They merged... and then they unmerged. Both take long times, because my mouse doesn't like selecting a lot of stuff at one time.

 _ **Okay, here's the story now:**_

* * *

The next morning continues much like the afternoon before, except with fewer people and more one-on-one time.

The group that had taunted Tiffany yesterday do not show up, and but Tiffany still doesn't feel like instructing the rangers, as seeing them all with their companions is just heart-wrenching for her. Braham and one other are the only guardians, and none of the elementalists show up, preferring to practice at home with what Tiffany had told them the day before. The one engineer does not show.

The warriors all return eagerly for more of Forgal's instruction (apparently they like it) and he only instructs the warriors because there are so many of them.

The mesmers seem to like Fiona. Fiona splits herself in two and does the mesmers as well as the thieves, being similar in that both can stealth or veil their presence.

Tiffany juggles the guardians and the one necromancer.

It occurs to Tiffany to wonder where so many young norn are coming from, Cragstead can't be this large. But then, she reasons, there seemed to be a whole lot of them from what she knows of Living World Season one. Plus, norn from more far-flung steadings might have come, as well.

Tiffany gets to know Braham better (well, it's really Braham getting to know her better, but it does go both ways) as well as Reistr, the other guardian, and Malena, the necromancer.

As it is nearing noon, Tiffany and her three new friends are laughing at a joke Reistr told, before Tiffany, who is actually missing knockknock jokes (she hasn't heard a single one in Tyria!) introduces them.

"Knock knock," she says.

"Huh?"

"You're supposed to say 'who's there'," Tiffany explains. "Here - Fiona!"

"What is it?" Fiona asks, popping up.

"Do a knockknock joke with me," Tiffany replies. "Not one with any tricks in it, like the Exactlywatt."

Fiona holds in a small laugh. "Knock knock."

"Who's there?"

Fiona smiles mischievously. "Eir,"

Tiffany freezes. She notices Braham stiffen out of the corner of her eye. "Eir who?" she asks, hoping Fiona does it right.

"I breath Eir," Fiona replies. Several of the norn around them laugh.

"Fiona, you didn't do it right," Tiffany says in a complainy tone. "You're supposed to make a pun out of it."

"She did, though," Malena, the necromancer, says.

"Really?" Tiffany asks. "Well, I suppose heir, as in you're the heir of whoever, can be a pun that way, and ere, which means 'before', but that's kind of odd."

"You mean you've never heard of Eir Stegalkin?" Reistr replies in surprise.

"Oh, her!" Tiffany says. "I saw her once. Wasn't introduced, but one of my friends told me about her. I suppose that would be a pun. I breath Eir..." Tiffany giggles a bit. "Yeah, that is a bit funny." Braham relaxes slightly, but he stills seems wary. Tiffany gives Fiona a meaningful look. ' _We are so going to talk about this_ ,' the look says. "Try again. It's not funny if I don't get it immediately," she orders.

Fiona rolls her eyes. "You start it."

"Knock knock."

"Who's there?"

"Boo," Tiffany replies.

"Boo who?"

"Aww, no need to cry," Tiffany says in a comforting voice.

Malena snorts in laughter. Reistr laughs openly. Braham relaxes a bit more.

"Do you get it now?" Tiffany asks.

"I can try it," Malena offers.

"Knock knock," Tiffany says, already with an idea.

"Who's there?"

"Leg."

Malena looks surprised. "Leg who?"

"I'm leg-endary," Tiffany replies, barely holding in her own laughs. That doesn't last long, and soon all four are laughing. Fiona had disappeared as soon as Tiffany had turned away from her.

A moment later, Tiffany stops laughing sharply. The others look at her, surprisedly. Fiona appears again and places a hand on her shoulder, the comforting gesture. Somehow, it always works.

Tiffany looks up at Fiona. Then she closes her eyes briefly, opening them a moment later.

"Are you done training?" Fiona asks carefully.

"No," Tiffany replies. She knows what Fiona means. "I just made some cool friends."

"We'll need to leave soon, though," Fiona replies, glancing at the sun. "It's almost noon, and Cedda will be waiting for us."

"Right, right," Tiffany grumbles.

"Now you're acting like back when you were ten," Fiona scolds her. Tiffany rolls her eyes.

Later, Forgal approaches and informs Tiffany that it's time to get going. This time, Tiffany bounces up with a _'see?_ ' look in Fiona's direction.

"We should get together more often," Tiffany tells her new friends. "We could meet in Hoelbrak, perhaps?"

"Not too often," Malena replies, shaking her head. "It's a long trip down."

"I won't be able to come for a few weeks anyway," Tiffany replies. "When will you be able to come?"

"Five weeks?" Reistr offers.

"I'll be free then, as well," Malena agrees.

"I'm up for whenever," Braham replies.

"So am I, generally," Tiffany replies. "Five weeks it is. We waypointing or walking, Forgal?"

"Walking," Fiona interjects.

"Alright," Tiffany answers. "See you in five weeks," she tells her new friends.

As the group leaves Cragstead, Tiffany smiles. "That was a fun couple of days."

"I know! We met so many people. Cedda, Braham, and your two friends, who?"

"Malena and Reistr," Tiffany tells her. "Can you do that sled thing?"

"I can try, and maybe I can move them too, even after the slope is gone," Fiona responds.

A moment later, three sleds appear. One is much bigger, for Forgal. He eyes it doubtfully.

Fiona makes them move around with her mind, before nodding. "This'll make the trip much faster," she informs Forgal. "watch." she hops into one of them and goes sliding down the gentle slope. Tiffany grins and follows after her.

Tiffany glances back a moment later, and sees Forgal grumpily following them. Fiona glances back and enlarges his sled, surprising him momentarily. Tiffany laughs at the disgruntled look on his face.

It does not take long to reach Crossroads Haven. Cedda is already there, waiting. When she sees the three come whizzing down the slope on sleds, she looks momentarily surprised, but not bewildered or confounded by the sleds as she should have been. When she sees Forgal significantly behind them her smile widens in amusement.

Tiffany shares a glance with Fiona. The only other time the sleds had been used was during the assignment to kill Icebrood near Falooaloo. Cedda must have been the one watching them.

Cedda greets them and then they start the long trek down to Hoelbrak, Cedda once again chatting with Tiffany. Fiona, now that she is looking for it, notes similarities to Vriré - the two axes, although the peculiar helm and armor seem to have been discarded for another sort - as well as voice. Cedda does not have the imperious, formal tone that Vriré does, nor the manner that matches it, but then, Vriré is of the Order of Whispers, and changing things like that - at least for show - should be easy and perhaps even commonplace for her.

Fiona decides not to confront Cedda - Vriré - about it, but rather wait and see if she can discern why. Knowing more than your enemy - or at least not ally, in this situation - thinks you know is always a bonus. ' _But Cedda is an ally_ ,' Fiona realizes. ' _She is the only one, so far, capable of keeping Tiffany from thinking about Beorn too much... She's Whispers. Don't trust Whispers people, not to mention this could all be a facade. I'll wait and see what her intent is before saying anything_.'

At one point Cedda queries about how the mentioned training in Cragstead went. Fiona winces, but can think of no reasonable explanation not to tell her (besides, of course, that she has been spying on them and is in the Order). She trades a look with Tiffany over Cedda's head, both with a susipicous, resigned look. ' _What have we gotten ourselves into, here_?' they both wonder. ' _Joining the Order? Neither of us knew a thing about the Order - and still all we know is one path their initiation system can take_!'

As the group makes its way down to Hoelbrak, Cedda and Tiffany keep talking about things - lore, mostly, although a couple other mundane topics are covered. Cedda keeps coming back to being amazed at Tiffany's on-the-spot strategy for the guardians, and her ideas on what the elementalists could do. Apparently, Tiffany's creativity is stunning. ' _Too bad it's fake, though, huh? I got those things for an elementalist to do from the game.'_ Tiffany thinks to herself.

Once at Hoelbrak, Cedda says her goodbye and leaves through the asura gate.

"Oh, Forgal, did we already tell you about Thursday?" Fiona asks suddenly.

"Thursday? No, what's happening on Thursday?" Forgal replies.

"Beorn's memorial," Fiona replies softly, glancing at Tiffany warily. "Invite anyone you think might care."

"Anything for my favorite Crusader," Forgal answers. This seems to remind him of something. "Are you doing anything on Friday?"

"Not during the day, no," Tiffany replies confusedly.

"Then I want your to take me to Falooaloo and show me what you've done there."

"We can do that, it's not too far from Hoelbrak," Tiffany agrees. "But before we go home, I want to explore Hoelbrak. Fiona, you want to come?"

"Sure, whatever goes suits me," Fiona shrugs.

"You two go enjoy exploring, I know you can take care of yourselves," Forgal tells them. "Just don't interfere with any drunk norn, they might step on you."

"You mean they haven't learned how not to?" Tiffany queries. She had grown up with children ranging from crawl age to Tiffany's shoulder (with her being the oldest) flooding the house. And she can't remember stepping on a single one. "I'm higher than most norn's waist, Forgal, I think they'd notice me before stepping on me."

"Not when they're drunk," Forgal replies. "But you can watch yourselves. If you get squished flat I won't be responsible!"

The three laugh at Forgal's joke before parting ways. Tiffany and Fiona stick together, of course, and, on Fiona's suggestion, head northwest from the asura gate.

Exploring Hoelbrak is a fun experience for both of them. At one point, they find an entrance to a cavern from a frozen lake.

The frozen ice inside the cavern has a darker hue, that Tiffany and Fiona attribute it to being away from the light of the sun, but quickly realize it is not when they see a Svanir dragon totem. They quickly turn around and leave.

"Someway, somehow, there are Sons of Svanir in Hoelbrak," Tiffany tells Fiona a low voice. "In-game, they're green and you can talk to some of them. It's disgusting. They worship the Spirit of Dragon! That is totally ludicrous, and I can't see why anybody allows it!"

In southeastern Hoelbrak, the two are following a well-defined path. It has other, smaller paths branching off of it, especially the first , which quickly curves out of sight, and if Tiffany had to guess she would say this is the residential district of Hoelbrak, aside from the Spirit lodges of course.

The path ends at a largish steading, outside of which is a norn who greets them cheerily.

"Welcome to Old Fiach's Lorestead! I'm Holgi, Fiach's apprentice storyteller. What interests you?"

Fiona closes her eyes with a pained expression at the end of Holgi's first sentence.

"Lorestead?" Tiffany queries excitedly. "Did you say lorestead? Yes I am very interested!"

"In what, particularly?"

"Well, what can you tell me?"

"I know stories of several norn heros, or, if you prefer, I can tell you some of the history of the norn."

"History is quite interesting," Tiffany replies. "I know some norn history, like how the norn came south and founded Hoelbrak, but what else is there?"

"Most people ask about the founding of Hoelbrak, yes," Holgi says, "but they also ask about the Great Hunt, or the destruction of Owl."

"Tell me about the Great Hunt," Tiffany answers. "I never really understood it."

"It's one of our oldest traditions, dating back even before our ancestors came south. We see it as a rite of passage, where the young show their prowess by challenging a mighty beast."

"Oh," Tiffany says.

Later, after Tiffany is done running poor Holgi into the ground about telling her lore, Fiona pulls her away with an apologetic look at the old norn, but, really, he seems happy. He tells Tiffany thanks for helping him learn things about history and about telling it.

"I think we should get home, Tiffany," Fiona says as they walk away.

"Alright, but let's walk to the gate," Tiffany replies.

As they leave the 'residential area' as Fiona had pegged it, Tiffany hears a voice.

" - Garm."

Fiona places a warning hand on Tiffany's arm. ' _Don't stop walking. At least not now. Wait a minute,_ ' she hopes.

Tiffany doesn't stop. She continues on, but only as far as the crossroads ahead.

"Which way is the asura gate again?" she asks.

Fiona, knowing it to be a stall, responds, "I'm... not sure," she says, twisting part way around and pointing northeast, "I think I've been down that path before, but the other path also seems familiar." seeing Eir not far behind them, Fiona asks her. "Do you know which way is the asura gate?"

"Both routes will take you there," Eir replies, "But the right-hand way is longer. I feel like I know you from somewhere. What is your name?"

"I'm Fiona Tassof, and this is my sister Tiffany," Fiona replies, gesturing at Tiffany. "And you are?"

"Eir, and this my companion, Garm," Eir replies.

"Oh!" Tiffany replies (with a wince as Eir mentions her companion). "We were with Logan when you met with Destiny's Edge in Lion's Arch."

Eir blinks in surprise. "I think I remember two others being there, yes... I was rather distracted at the time."

Tiffany holds in a smile. "I know."

Eir frowns ever so slightly. "Garm feels like one of you is missing, but I only remember two."

Tiffany inhales sharply and closes her eyes briefly.

"Tiffany's companion, Beorn... died recently," Fiona replies softly, placing a hand on Tiffany's shoulder.

"Oh," Eir says with something like a small gasp, glancing at Garm. "I know what it's like to lose someone close to you," she continues with a tinge of sympathy.

"It's... I'll be fine." Tiffany tells her. ' _Yes, I know you know what it's like. I know you mourned Snaff_.'

Sensing the mood, Eir tries to change the subject. "So, why are you in Hoelbrak?"

"At the moment?" Fiona queries. "We're just exploring. We came here a few days ago with Tiffany's mentor, Forgal, on a mission for the Vigil up north."

"The norn up there are rather unhospitable, I'm surprised you found a place to stay. Or did you come back to Hoelbrak every night?"

"Forgal knew somebody that was closer than Hoelbrak, if not by much. We stayed with him," Tiffany replies, thinking it best not to mention Cragstead.

"That's good. North of Hoelbrak takes a long time to get to, it would eat up your entire day just to get there."

Tiffany laughs slightly. "That's why we took one day to get there, did our business, spent the rest of the day... helping out locally, and then came here today. Forgal's off... doing something, maybe he's even already gone home, and we decided to go exploring."

"Didn't he warn us not to let any norn step on us?" Fiona asks with a smile.

Tiffany laughs. "That he did. But I think - " she cuts off briefly, glancing at Garm. She had been going to say ' _I think we have about as much to fear from that as from Garm_ ,' but thinking of Garm reminds her of Beorn. "I think we don't have much to fear in that department. We might be short for humans, but..."

"We kind of know how to make our presence known if we think we're about to be stepped on," Fiona continues with a laugh.

"I'm sure you do," Eir replies with a small smile of her own. "Now, if you'll excuse me, Garm and I have somewhere to be."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Tiffany and Fiona say together. "We'll be on our way, then," Tiffany continues. "See you next time," Fiona adds.

"I wish you clear skies," Eir replies, before disappearing down the path.

"Alright, lets get home," Tiffany says after a moment, still looking after Eir. "That was... unexpected, to say the least. I never really thought about... **her death, not as much as I did Trahearne's, so I never really realized hers, and I never knew her as well as I did him, but she's still Eir.** "

"I know." Fiona replies simply. "Come on."

The two start walking home.

" **Now, explain why you mentioned Eir in front of Braham when I expressly told you not to**?" Tiffany asks after a minute.

" **It was a joke. They know what jokes are**."

" **We were supposed to pretend we had no idea who Eir was except as a norn hero**!" Tiffany hisses. " **You almost ruined the whole operation**!"

" **You fixed it alright** ," Fiona retorts. " **And it was Malena and Reistr who brought up Eir in the first place**!"

" **And they didn't know any better, because they're as in the dark as Braham is** ," Tiffany retorts. " **You are the guilty one here. I'll let you off this time, but next time, in something as important as Destiny's Edge and their relations, you keep your mouth shut unless I tell you otherwise**."

" **Alright, alright, no need to get so prickly** ," Fiona replies in surprise. ' _Geez, I didn't know she was this... vehement about such thing_ s.' Trying to change the subject, she glances around. " **Shilgni is awesome, isn't it**?"

" **Very** ," Tiffany agrees with a smile.

* * *

As they step through into Divinity's Reach from Lion's Arch (some people call it LA, but Tiffany can never manage that. For one thing, there are so many places on earth called LA it would simply be confusing, and she can't help thinking it would be confusing for the others, too) Tiffany sighs.

"It's been a few days," she tells Fiona. "And so much happened in such a short time."

"Same thing happened when we visited the Grove," Fiona reminds her. "I think we'll face surprises whichever city we visit."

"At least the first time," Tiffany nods. "Lion's Arch has been fine recently."

Fiona laughs. "We're getting weird, aren't we?" she asks absently.

Tiffany shakes a finger in Fiona's face. "We've always been weird!" she says fiercely.

Fiona takes a step back, laughing her head off. After a moment, Tiffany joins her.

As they leave the immediate vicinity of the asura gate, Tiffany sees the door to Logan's office. She frowns. "Fi, did we ever find out where the Seraph training barracks are?"

"Nope," Fiona answers. "Would be kind of odd to ask now, though, don't you think?"

"Well, I don't particularly think a green star and arrows will show up telling us where to go," Tiffany retorts. "Although that would be nice," she adds. "Do you think it will?"

"Stop being a dunderhead, Tiffany," Fiona replies, rolling her eyes.

"I'm better at cooking than you are," Tiffany says out of the blue.

Fiona stares at her. "What?"

"I'm better at cooking than you are. And that's the closest thing we have to Potions," Tiffany explains. "What? I am better! When we were younger, Mom would tell one of us to make dinner. I'd make something that used up all my playtime like Taco Soup, and you would always go with CCC."

"CCC," Fiona mumbles under her breath for a moment. "Yeah, that's because I like Chips Chili and Cheese. And that has nothing to do with you being a dunderhead."

Tiffany rolls her eyes. "Whatever. Dunderhead."

"Whatever Dunderhead you!" Fiona retorts.

"Ah ah ah, we have to wait for Deborah," Tiffany replies, shaking a finger at Fiona. "Aha! We can ask Deborah where the Seraph training barracks are! She's been there twice!"

"Alright," Tiffany replies. "Let's go! And to make up for having such a gigantic waypoint cost yesterday, we'll walk. Ayup! Come on."

When they come in sight of the tavern, Tiffany's smile slips off her face, and she glances to her side where Beorn normally walks. "Beorn," she calls softly. She even opens up her connection (that connection!) and reaches for him. But the other end is walled up even tighter than the other times. It's like Beorn's death solidified or something, sometime while she was off in the Shiverpeaks.

"What about your other pets? You can't continue without at least an aid in battle," Fiona asks warily, hoping Tiffany doesn't rip her apart.

"No. It would just - just remind me of him. I don't have a bond with them the way I do with Beorn." Tiffany replies, shaking her head.

"You know, I had a dream once," Fiona tells Tiffany. "It was thirteen years in the future. Everyone was alive - even Beorn - except Deborah. And we had cursed Primordus with the whatever before we killed him. And then Ayla became an engineer and invented a Star Wars blaster, that she called a Whatever Blaster. And you'd gotten really good at drawing maps, and so all our friends from... Ascalon came and described a map of home, to remember with. And then the map pulled us back home. And Beorn was gone, and my illusions were gone, but everyone was all grown up and Mom and Dad had had another kid. It was kind of ridiculous."

"When did that happen?" Tiffany asks.

"I had the dream some time ago. But I remembered it, because it was interesting. In the dream we were both rather confused about whether it was a good thing we'd come back. We'd kind of gotten used to it, you know, and were worried what all the people back in Tyria would think that we just disappeared. But my point was that Beorn was gone, but you were calling for Gwahir and Shelob just as frantically."

"It was fifteen years later, I probably cultivated bonds with them, too."

"But it didn't impact your bond with Beorn any," Fiona reasons. "And like Forgal told those idiot norn..."

"No." Tiffany says firmly. "It's too soon after..."

Entering the tavern, they find that Deborah is not yet home.

"It's still early," Fiona reasons. "She's probably not off duty yet."

"We've been off our game recently," Tiffany says with a wink to Fiona, "I'm sure bandits have cropped up again. And we could help the war with the centaurs. Let's go help out, shall we?"

"Whyever not?" Fiona asks. "Petra, can you send us a message when Deborah gets home?"

"Of course, Fiona," Petra says absentmindedly.

"And we racked up the waypoint bill," Tiffany informs her. "We'll do our best to help out with that, including not using waypoints over-much."

"I'm sure it'll be fine, girls," Petra replies, glancing up. "Just you keep keeping us safe from bandits and preventing the centaurs taking over. Now that Deborah's back in the Seraph we've got a little more income than normal."

"Really? I never even thought about that," Tiffany replies with a smile. "That's great. See you a little after you see Deborah!"

With that, she and Fiona disappear out the door.

* * *

The Bandithaunt Caverns are still nice and empty, and centaur war is progressing excellently. Tiffany and Fiona ask the Seraph what the reports from southern Kryta are, to get an idea of how the war is going.

The Lionguard at Black Haven would have had a ton of trouble with the centaurs if they hadn't been leaving each other alone. Earthworks Camp contains most of the centaurs from around Kessex Hills, and the smaller Seraph camps around the area, like Barnaby's Watch to the northwest, have been heavily expanded. Triskell Quay and Quarryside are Seraph reserves, as well, meaning that the only escape route for the centaurs is past Black Haven and to Gendarran Fields. The Seraph are opting for the 'push-them-out' route, as there are too many to defeat. They have the centaurs at Earthworks camp under siege, but can't seem to break through the centaur's fortress-like defenses.

A similar situation has arisen near Eldvin Monastery in Queensdale. The centaur fortress there, Holdland Camp, has been expanded, as it is near the only pass to Gendarran Fields from Queensdale, as well as the recent removal of Captain Tervelan from his duty as Seraph. Beetletun, which is nearby, is suffering heavily from centaur raids. Holdland has been receiving help from Cliffwatch Camp and the Hidden Cliff Camp, which is the main Tamini reserve. The situation here is worse, however, as the Ministry Guards in Beetletun try to keep the Seraph away from the town, preferring to defend it themselves. And Tunwatch Redoubt has been abandoned by the Seraph long since, preferring not to be caught from all angles by the centaurs, the only escape being to Beetletun (with centaurs in Gendarran Fields, as well). The centaurs have taken advantage of this, moving away from Eldvin Monastary and into Tunwatch Redoubt, giving Eldvin Monastery slight breathing room.

So, instead, the Seraph heavily surround the other camps, utilizing the abandoned location of the Righteous Hoofmoot as a garrison. In a mockery of the centaurs, they call it Hoofmoot Garrison. And none of the centaurs like that. However, as a result of the pressure from the west and the south, and the centaurs' refusal to retreat to Gendarran Fields, Beetletun is having big problems. The Seraph keep trying to convince the residents of Beetletun to let them base a squad of Seraph there, but they keep refusing.

Tiffany and Fiona decide to aid the people of Beetletun, and perhaps find out why they keep turning down help. However, this means they are stuck assaulting Tunwatch Redoubt. It has undoubtedly been renamed, but the centaurs have been either fleeing or dying or conquering, and don't allow prisoners to be taken. The humans have taken to calling it Fallen Tunwatch. Assaulting Fallen Tunwatch is hard, as it and Hidden Base Camp are the centaurs' main points of entry to Gendarran Fields should it be necessary.

So, the main thing Tiffany and Fiona discover is that the residents of Beetletun are refusing Seraph help in particular. They almost beg Tiffany and Fiona to deal with the centaurs, and when asked why they don't accept Seraph help, they shut up, a couple nervously glancing towards Caudecus's manor, easily visible down the main street. Tiffany and Fiona strike down centaur uprisings in the area, and, disguised as Ministry Guards (so as to strike fear into the centaurs attacking Beetletun) they violently stamp out a lot of centaurs, leaving only a few free to flee back to their camps and spread the word.

Then, Tiffany and Fiona circle around to Cliffwatch Camp, which is rather wilted in terms of centaur numbers, and claim the area for the Seraph, who quickly move in. As per Tiffany and Fiona's directions, they leave a small area undefended from Hidden Cliff Camp to Fallen Tunwatch, to let centaurs flee to their other camps and then to Gendarran Fields, as she suspects centaurs from there have been bolstering numbers here, and that there are a lot more centaurs there than they think.

At that point, it is getting late, so Tiffany and Fiona start on the return journey home, intending to not use waypoints. Just inside Divinity's Reach, Petra sends a bird with a message that Deborah is home.

* * *

When they arrive at home, the lower floor of the tavern is busy, and Petra informs them that Deborah is upstairs. Tiffany and Fiona find Deborah in the family room.

"Petra mentioned you wanted to see me?" Deborah queries. She looks tired.

"Yeah, we kind of forgot to ask Captain Thackeray where the Seraph training barracks is."

"Well, you won't get an answer out of him," Deborah remarks. "The closest you get is to be told to go to the Ossan quarter."

"So, it's somewhere - "

"No, they'll blindfold you and carry you off who knows where to the place," Deborah says. "They even did that to me the second time and I knew it was coming! I think they do it to keep the location secret, but even I've already been in the Seraph who knows how long!"

"Can't be too careful. Some centaur mesmer could make himself look like a human, and then where's that get us?" Fiona remarks.

"I suppose. Can't be too careful with mesmers around, unless you've got an equally powerful one. I suspect it's why the guy in charge of Seraph recruit training is a mesmer himself, but I've never been sure. So, what were you doing while waiting for me to get home?"

"Aiding the Seraph against the centaurs. Did you know they took Tunwatch Redoubt?"

"I suspected," Deborah replies. "None of the passes from western Kryta to eastern are being used, they're all blocked. I assume it's the centaurs, but nobody at Stoneguard Gate had any idea."

"It's the centaurs, all right," Fiona answers. "We went to Eldvin Monastery - which is more of a Seraph base or garrison now than a monastery - and they updated us on the war. The centaurs have been backed up against the passes. The Seraph think evacuating them through the passes is better than defeating them, but I think they're receiving reinforcments through there rather than planning escape routes."

"The Seraph moved Stoneguard Gate, so I'd assume that's what they're doing. Nebo Terrace is normally a town, but now it's a stronghold of Seraph, funneling centaurs north when they come through the pass. They've got the centaurs in the cave network to the west pinned down, but I get the feeling it's a more extensive cavern and that they're getting reinforcements from somewhere. At least the residents of Nebo Terrace are much safer, now."

"That's nice," Tiffany agrees. "Holdland Camp was abandoned by the centaurs as soon as the Seraph left Tunwatch Redoubt. I think the centaurs were uneasy being so near to the Seraph base in the area. We've taken to calling it Fallen Tunwatch. The Seraph in the area think they're funneling centaurs from Hidden Cliff Camp through Guardian's Pass, but I think they're getting reinforcements from there."

"Not unless they're sneaking in quietly from the north, which, upon reflection, would be very easy to do," Deborah admits. "There's not too much work for the Seraph at Nebo Terrace, which is where they moved Stoneguard Gate to, and we mainly push the centaurs of the Blood Hill Camps north, but that centaur camp is the main base of centaurs in the area, and I mean permanent base. I doubt they'll move anytime soon. That camp is right up next to the pass into the Harathi homelands, they'll have endless reinforcements, not to mention having the manpower to reinforce the centaurs on your side of the pass."

"We have the centaurs of Hidden Cliff Camp under siege, with a tiny way through to to the pass, but I suppose the Seraph should close in on them and literally push them out, huh? And then we can leave a normal station of Seraph in the area and help Nebo Terrace pushing the centaurs back into their homelands." Fiona replies thoughtfully. "What we need to do is push north from Hoofmoot Garrison - "

"The Seraph took the centaurs' Righteous Hoofmoot and turned it into a garrison?" Deborah asks in mirth. "Bet the centaurs loved that!"

Fiona nods with a smile. "If they push north from there, we can push the centaurs out of Hidden Cliff Camp and through the pass. Oh! We can corner them in the pass and decimate them. We won't even need that many, will we? That'll wound the centaurs, at least, as well as getting them out at least some of our territory!"

"You should stay on in the Seraph as a tactician!" Deborah says in admiration.

"Naw, she's dedicated her talents to the Priory," Tiffany replies airily. ' _And the Order of Whispers, a_ _nd, later on, the Pact_ ,' she finishes in her mind. "You try and set that up on Friday, Forgal has a mission for me. Rather, mission inspection. Fiona's coming too, of course, as most of it was her work."

"Sure. Who's the captain in charge of the west side of the pass?" Deborah asks.

"Remember Lieutenant Francis?" Fiona asks. "After you exposed Tervelan, Logan promoted him to the job. He's been doing a good job, if you ask me."

"Francis? Yeah, I remember the guy. I'll stop at Eldvin Monastery on Friday and run our ideas through." Deborah nods. "Do you know anything about the other pass from the south? There's mostly Lionguard down there."

"Earthworks Camp is the only centaur base there," Tiffany tells her. "The Seraph have got them mostly surrounded, the Lionguard have the east, so the centaurs aren't bothering over there, but if they tried escaping south they could try. Lionguard are all over down there though, they wouldn't have much to do, not without assaulting one of the less-defended Seraph outposts. If the Seraph cut them off from the south, the centaurs won't have anywhere else to go."

"Why are we talking like we own the Seraph?" Fiona asks in amusement as the thought occurs to her.

The three look at each other. "No idea," Deborah declares.

"Well, it's not getting any earlier," Fiona says. "And tomorrow… "

"Right," Tiffany sighs.

"Good night."

* * *

 _Author's Notes:_

So sorry this took so long!

This chapter and the next were originally one chapter, but then they turned out to need two chapters.


	20. Chapter 20: Problems With Asura (Gates)

SOLDIERS, SCHOLARS, AND SPIES

* * *

Summary: The next day, Tangwen visits before Beorn's memorial, and a troubling situation is halfway discussed. After the memorial, Tangwen appears again, and they finish discussing the problem, while another is revealed. Logan visits Pierre DeGlasse in his office. The next day, Tiffany and Fiona intend to go to Hoelbrak via asura gate, but it turns out that the asura gate was closed. Deborah informs them that all of them were. Tiffany and Fiona learn that the waypoints within the Vigil Keep are much cheaper, and waypoint there, where they find Forgal and General Almorra, who gives Tiffany and Forgal an assignment to find a rogue asura. Afterwards, Forgal takes Tiffany and Fiona to inspect Falooaloo, before heading to the Blood Hills to assault the centaurs.

* * *

Chapter twenty: Problems With Asura (Gates)

* * *

 _Author's Notes:_

So here's the next chapter! My fingers keep my story hopping, and my plans change fluidly according to my fingers dictation. Wow. My fingers keep amazing me. Just... wow.

 _ **Okay, here's the story now:**_

* * *

The next morning,Tiffany seems dispirited. Fiona hovers nearby, anxiously keeping an eye on her. Deborah acts as an extension on that, generally in the next room but near the door.

Fiona keeps glancing around add if looking for something. Or someone.

Add a matter of fact, she is. Normally when Tiffany got like this at home (which wasn't often), it either wasn't a big deal or the older ones would sit near her and distract her somehow. Fiona, by her own admission, is not good at talking. And she is painfully missing her old family.

The problem is, she feels odd thinking like that. She has memories of this family, as many as of the other.

Really, both of them are beginning to feel more like Tyrians with a memory of another world than people from earth pulled into Tyria.

And then, Tangwen enters the tavern. Petra looks up with a questioning glance.

"Tiffany and Fiona live here, right?" Tangwen asks into the mouthpiece of her headset, uncertain how to speak to somebody who isn't Tiffany and Fiona when neither are around. Through her headset, she hears her character speak (that's never happened before) in some garbled gibberish.

Petra's face softens. "Yes," she says gravely, before she shouts at the ceiling, "Tiffany! You have a sylvari friend here!" Tangwen has no idea what has just been said, but she hears a muffled thump before Tiffany is rushing down the steps.

She stops abruptly on the bottom step, a semi-surprised look on her face, and Fiona almost bumps into her.

"Hello, Tangwen," she greets, a little somberly. Fiona hovers by Tiffany's shoulder.

"Hi Tiffany," Tangwen replies, half confused. "Why is everyone acting so... odd?" at least Tiffany and Fiona are speaking english. Her character seems to be speaking both at once, though.

"Oh!" Fiona cries, slapping her forehead. "The last time we saw you was Saturday, and we hadn't made the plans yet for today."

"But Saturday was yesterday," Tangwen replies, bewildered.

Tiffany and Fiona look at each other. "Yesterday? But today is Thursday."

Tangwen is silent for a moment. "Today is Sunday," she reports.

Tiffany looks at her blankly. "Sorry, you've skipped about four days in there."

"Unless you slept for five days," Petra says from the other end of the room, "or unless you've been on the receiving end of an asura," Tiffany snorts in laughter, "then it _should_ be Thursday. And also," Petra looks at Tangwen sternly, "the day planned for Beorn's memorial."

"Oh...kay," Tangwen answers, glancing at her friends uncertainly.

"She's probably just been born," Tiffany informs Petra breezily. She seems to be speaking two different languages at once, too.

Tangwen stares at her computer screen. What? Just been born?

In the silence after Tiffany's proclamation, Fiona takes one look at Tangwen's sylvari character doing idle animations (signifying Tangwen hasn't touched the controls in a little bit) and bursts out laughing. She laughs, and laughs, and laughs, holding on to the wall to keep herself upright.

It's infectuous. Pretty soon, Tiffany, then Petra, join Fiona laughing. Deborah pokes her head in, and even not knowing the joke, is soon laughing with them.

Tangwen, on the other hand, is suitably confused. What-what-what? Just been born?

Then, Andrew comes up from the cellar. Seeing his family laughing and Tangwen looking bewildered, he sighs.

"Making fun of sylvari?" he queries, raising an eyebrow.

" _Never_!" Tiffany cries. "How _could_ you think such a thing!"

"It was a sylvari thing, though," Fiona points out.

"But we weren't laughing at Tangwen, we were laughing at Tiffany's joke," Petra explains.

Deborah slips away from the ensuing argument, still not knowing the root cause of the joke.

"Alright, what was it?" Andrew sighs. "Am I really going to have to treat you like children?"

"No!" Tiffany says quickly. She waypoints to Salma waypoint and takes her time getting back, joined by Fiona, leaving Petra to Andrew's wrath. Tangwen, not knowing where her friends have gone to, simply logs off. After walking out of the tavern while Andrew is consulting Petra.

* * *

A while later, after Tiffany and Fiona calmed Andrew down, Forgal arrives.

"Crusader Tiffany," he greets.

"Warmaster Forgal," Tiffany replies.

"Who, your Vigil friend?" Deborah calls, having heard the name. "I need to talk to him, just a minute!"

"Any idea what about?" Tiffany asks Fiona.

"Nope," Fiona answers.

A moment later, Deborah comes down the stairs. "These two are strategic geniuses!" she declares, gesturing at Tiffany and Fiona.

"What?" Tiffany asks with some amusement.

"The ideas you kept having last night about how to give the centaurs only one avenue of escape. The only thing I can imagine them doing is either resisting siege - which is really stupid, and they've shown they're not stupid - or burrowing through the mountains like dredge, which _still_ lands them on the other side of the pass, albeit near Seraph who aren't prepared for them, or the Lionguard."

"Really, it's just common sense," Fiona interjects. "I mean, of course we surround them and evacuate the Seraph near the pass to let the centaurs go through. That's nothing astonishing."

"You described it in much more tactical, eloquent terms last night," Deborah replies flatly.

"A good idea is never to ask the recipient whether they think they deserve praise or not," Forgal observes. "Two results will happen; either the person will soak up the praise and say how great they are, which is rather self-centered, or they will deny it over and over until sufficient proof is laid on them, and then tentatively accept it. All waste our time - no offense, Crusader - and it is always best to save it until _we_ are both on the same page."

"No one's ever just accepted simple praise?" Fiona queries.

"See? Time wasting," Forgal teases. "Now, if you would like to explain why they are excellent tacticians - away from their time-wasting voices - we might actually get something done."

"Great," Tiffany rolls her eyes. "Now one of my friends is stealing my older sister. All I have left is my twin, who honestly is more like a quadruplet than a twin."

Fiona snorts at the joke.

A minute later, Tangwen walks in again. "Is it safe?" she asks.

"Safe?" Tiffany echoes curiously. "From what?" she's only talking simple I-don't-know-what-you're-saying Tyrian again, on Tangwen's end.

"Safe from Andrew," she repeats slowly. "He was getting on you for teasing sylvari."

"Oh! He's fine," Fiona assures her. "It's been nearly half an hour, what do you think?"

Tangwen is silent for a moment. "It's only been five minutes, I didn't think you were that good at calming people down," Tangwen replies.

"Alright, lets go upstairs and sort this out," Tiffany decides. "Come on."

Halfway up the stairs to the third floor, she hops over the railing and lands on the floor, hand trailing along the wall. A secret door pops open, and Tiffany slides in, followed by Fiona.

"Where did you go?" Tangwen asks.

"Secret door, come on!" Tiffany says, poking her head out the door.

"That is creepy," Tangwen declares.

"What, a secret door?" Tiffany asks. "One that doesn't show before it's opened? Come on, the dwarves did that all the time."

Tangwen is silent for a moment. "Alright, I give up," she declares. "Talk in english."

Tiffany and Fiona trade surprised looks. "Oh! We were talking in Tyrian again? How did you know how to reply?"

"The tone of your voice made it clear enough," Tangwen answers.

Tiffany and Fiona run over the last few minutes of conversation in their heads. "Well, if you can learn Tyrian, that'd be great. I'm sure anybody who isn't a PC or us hearing would think we were crazy. English is nothing like Tyrian."

"That would be nice. But I couldn't tell heads from tails what you were _saying_ , only your tone of voice. We could have a quiz training session sometime. So, what about the fact that your heads are sticking out of the wall?"

"It's a secret door," Tiffany answers slowly. "One that doesn't show before it's opened. Come on, the dwarves did that all the time."

"Yeah, but you could see them once they opened," Tangwen explains.

"It must be the player non-interaction thing that keeps cropping up," Fiona suggets. "Oh well, here is fine. Nobody's up here."

"So, why is it Sunday for me and Thursday for you?"

"Universal time differences speeding up?" Fiona suggests.

"Yeah, being in Narnia has no time passing at all on earth," Tiffany agrees. "Whereas time on earth has who knows how long a time in Narnia. A thousand years, three years, sixty years, skip to the endtimes, you get the picture."

"And so five minutes to almost half an hour makes sense," Tangwen adds. "If there's a four or five day difference, it would be five minutes to twenty or twenty-five, and since it's multiplying, it could even have gone up to thirty, because I didn't time myself or anything."

"Well. This is worrying," Fiona says, unconsciously slipping back into Tyrian. "If you log on every day, it'll be five days to us. If you skip a day, it bumps up to ten days. This is crazy."

"Crazy is right. If we want to see you every other day, you have to log on every..." Tiffany pauses, doing calculations in her head. When she speaks again, she too is speaking Tyrian."Roughly nine hours. Four and a half for every day." She sighs. "Looks like we're going up to not seeing you except every five days."

"There's no way we're making everyone log on every nine hours. Not like we could, either," Fiona observes.

"Well, Mom is calling," Tangwen sighs. She had figured out the math herself, not to mention the dejected tone the other two had taken. "See you very much later if it's a short task, and in five days if not. I'll tell everyone else so they don't skip days."

"Bye, Tangwen," Tiffany tells her. "At least it's a better amount than when you came over once a week on Tuesdays, that was seven days!"

Tangwen laughs (a bit hollowly) and logs off, frustrated by the unconscious language switching that Tiffany and Fiona are doing. She can deduce a lot from their tone and the subject of the conversation - and her name is always spoken in english - but it isn't the same.

* * *

"How do you _always_ see the bright side of things?" Fiona complains.

"No saying always," Tiffany replies strictly. "I'm not seeing the bright side of things right now, am I?"

"Oh, go fall in a toilet," Fiona grumbles.

Tiffany bursts out laughing. Deborah comes around the corner. "By Lyssa, what is a toilet?" she demands. This only sets Fiona off laughing, and Tiffany even more. Every time Tiffany gets calmer, she repeats the phrase. "What's a toilet. Ha!" She leans against the wall and slides down, sitting on the floor.

After a while, they finally calm down for good. By this time, both twins are sitting on the floor.

"So, what's a toilet?" Deborah asks again. Tiffany and Fiona giggle some more.

" _What_ is a toilet?" Deborah asks exasperatedly.

Tiffany and Fiona cut off laughing. Tiffany glances at Fiona, before looking at Deborah solemnly. Behind Deborah's head, a blinking number 3 appears. 2. 1. "It's a secret," Tiffany and Fiona say together.

"Oh, you _menaces_!" Deborah cries. "At least I know how to make you laugh. Ask what things are. What's a toilet! Toilet isn't even a word!"

Tiffany and Fiona let off in peals of laughter again. Petra comes up the stairs and looks at them. "At least they're happy," she observes. "What're they laughing about?"

"I just said that the word 'toilet' isn't a word," Deborah replies, unnerved. Tiffany and Fiona just laugh louder.

"Well, it's not," Petra answers, confused.

Tiffany is almost out of breath from laughing.

Suddenly, Fiona stops. "You could also call it a potty," she offers.

"That's even more not a word," Deborah says, getting annoyed by now. "I mean, it sounds like a pot that you do... something in, in baby talk. Potty."

Fiona flops over laughing, banging her fist on the floor. " **So accurate and she doesn't even know it!** " she hollers to Tiffany.

Tiffany, who is also laughing, nods.

After a couple minutes, Tiffany looks at Fiona. "What else could you call it?" she queries.

"Hmm," Fiona says aloud, thinking. "Outhouse?"

"Sounds like a house that's outside," Petra deadpans.

Tiffany laughs so hard she chokes. " **And it's not even funny,** " she complains to Fiona. " **It's just absurdly ridiculous how ignorant they are of things in a place they've never been to.** "

" **And** _ **that**_ **'s ridiculous, so shut up and lemme laugh,** " Fiona retorts.

"Alright, what's an emmel?" Deborah queries.

Tiffany and Fiona stare at her blankly. "Emmel - oh!" Tiffany says, keeling over in laughter again. "Emmel **is lemme in Shilgni!** " she laugh-shouts.

After a while, both of them calm down.

"Don't say anything," Petra whispers to Deborah.

"Heard that," Fiona says with a giggle. Petra and Deborah sigh, ready for another round of laughing. When neither of them do, both look at each other in high glee, before zipping out of the room.

"That was the funniest thing siiiinnnnccce..." Tiffany trails off on the last word, going quiet. Fiona places a hand on her shoulder.

"Why don't we go downstairs?" she suggests. "I'm sure more people have got here."

"Sounds like when we hosted church back home," Tiffany remarks. "People are getting here, yay! Haha."

"I know. Only I doubt this will feel at all similar to hosting church. Church is... well, church. Not a... not a memorial service."

"Right. Let's get downstairs."

* * *

A while later, after Tiffany thinks all the people who are coming have come (Logan invited Caithe, who invited Trahearne, which gave Tiffany a shock at first, and the Sartinis invited Eda from the apple orchard, and Zojja shows up as well (having got to be friends with Fiona while trying to find Tiffany before Beorn died), to the delight of Caithe, and surprise of Logan), Tiffany signals Fiona, who is the 'special effects' expert.

All the lights go out, and the only light remaining is the little that filters through the windows, which isn't much. What noise there is on the ground floor of the tavern disappears. Then, illusionary light in spotlight form decorates the raised end of the tavern level (normally holding a table and chairs, now moved to the cellar), and Fiona carefully generates an illusion. It is a gamified illusion, meaning it is a flat image, and the colors are lighter. An illusion of Beorn appears on the elevated area. It is lifelike, aside from the obvious illusionary quality, meaning he moves naturally, and acts as Beorn would act.

Tears start to Tiffany's eyes upon seeing it, even if it is just an illusion. Even in-game Beorn would be welcome, at this point.

Then, Fiona begins replaying memories in which Beorn features, emphasizing his presence with a flashing light at the start of each memory. She begins with his death, for the benefit of those who weren't there. After that, Fiona replays other memories.

For Tiffany's benefit, she also does memories (highly edited, of course) from the game before they came to Tyria. These include the last clip of the opening cinematic upon Tiffany creating her human ranger, with Tiffany standing on a hill with Beorn at her side (Tiffany's character is edited to look like Tiffany, rather than her character), Beorn holding off Icebrood in the original Falooaloo evacuation, Beorn being the one to attack Zhaitan's green-see-through scout under Lion's Arch (with Forgal's presence edited out, and the scout looking like a shark, to all eyes but Tiffany and Fiona's), Beorn stalwartly taking Tiffany's damage (when she activated her elite skill) underwater, Beorn holding off Risen while Tiffany shot down Zhaitan's champions from the Pact's airships (edited, of course), and many other occasions when Beorn saved Tiffany.

Authentic, unedited memories from real-Tyrian time are displayed, including the memories they possess of a life in Tyria previous to getting pulled in, and when Beorn helped Tiffany get scared people to the inn in Shaemoor, in the very beginning, which included meeting Mat and Ayla, fighting the earth elemental, distracting the bandits in the Bandithaunt Caverns, squishing spiders in Eda's orchard, keeping bandits away from Tiffany while she fought them when trying to free Mat, Beorn's comforting presence when Tiffany and Fiona found the graves of their parents (Tyrian, not the PCs), Beorn jumping on Fiona when she almost mentioned Mordremoth to Crusader Hiroki in the swamp after dealing with the Risen, many other instances of Beorn-hilarity, Beorn jumping at a Separatist that had downed Tiffany and knocking him away, finishing off with Beorn's death.

Then, Fiona plays a song that she and Tiffany had used to listen to, called _See You Again_. Tiffany had always listened to the adapted version for Star Wars (posted on YouTube by Lizzie S), which included quotes in awesome places. Fiona, using her growing affinity for sound manipulation, replays this song. The lyrics appear in the air over the raised platform that the memories had been on. Fiona had censored a couple lines that make no sense ( _who knew... that I'd be standing here talking to you_ ) and the ones that reference earth things ( _loved to hit the road and laugh_ ).

 _It's been a longg daay, without you, my friend_  
 _And I'll tell you all about it, when I see you again_  
 _We've come a longg waay, from where we begaan,_  
 _Oh I'll tell you all about it, when I see you again. When I see you agaaiin...*_

Tiffany had once listened to this song innocently, thinking it a nice song. Then, Trahearne's death had happened, and she understood it for what it was. Now, though, she hears it through the lens of Beorn's death, and a whole new world of emotional pain is opened up.

Fiona replays the song again, and this time she and Tiffany sing along to it. Everyone else tentatively picks up the chorus.

The third time, Fiona drops the lyrics and replays memories to the words. Tiffany hadn't been told about the song. Fiona must have spent a lot of time going through memories and setting this up.

After the last sounds die away, nobody breaks the silence for several minutes.

At last, Andrew holds up a mug of ale. "To Beorn!"

"To Beorn!" the group echoes.

The rest of the memorial is much less... dramatic, but still subdued. At one point or another, everyone approaches to talk to Tiffany and Fiona. It's kind of like a family reunion, except without all the fun stuff. Almost everyone that Tiffany knows is here. Some try to be cheerful and steer clear of the subject of the gathering, but it falls flat. Others do the opposite, steering the conversation back to Beorn every time it veers. Some just have conversation, like a normal meeting between friends.

Tiffany notices Caithe speaking to Logan, before crossing the room and speaking to Zojja. Tiffany glances at Fiona, who had also noticed it.

An illusion of Tiffany appears next to Logan and begins talking to him. Evidently Fiona knows how to play this, because her illusion decides to introduce him to some of her friends he doesn't know. At the same time, an illusion of Fiona appears next to Zojja and starts talking to her, before deciding to do the same thing. Fiona veils her and Tiffany's presence the while, so both members of Destiny's Edge think they're talking to the real Tiffany and Fiona.

Fiona's illusion takes her time introducing Logan to Eda, talking a bit and drawing Logan into conversation, before moving on. The same happens with Fiona introducing Zojja to some of her friends, only in a different order.

After a bit, Zojja and Logan's paths collide when introduced to Trahearne. As Logan had proved his attempting to get the group back together, the Fiona illusion introduces Zojja to Trahearne, and while they are talking, the Tiffany illusion introduces Logan to Trahearne, and the five get into a conversation. At that point, Fiona and Tiffany take the places of their illusions, effectively inserting themselves into the conversation with no one being the wiser.

After a bit, Caithe notices Logan and Zojja at least tolerating each other's presence and joins the conversation.

Nothing much comes of half of Destiny's Edge being in one place (rather than a big battle or assassination or kidnapping or ancient swords inciting ghosts or long-lost friends turned evil attacking or cunning Inquest bothering the dragons or a Flame Legion sombody try to something...or something else crazy, like normal) except Logan and Zojja warm up to each other some. Destiny's Edge is being knit back together.

After a bit, Tiffany slips upstairs to be alone. Fiona wisely stays away, and even distracts others who are trying to find her, enlisting Deborah to help her.

* * *

Tiffany slips into her room. The most homely room in the house, to her eyes. It is the room she grew up in, the room she practiced healing with Beorn in, the room their connection had grown in, and shaped them. The room that holds many fond memories. She doesn't have many things like that, and most of them were torn away when she was brought to Tyria. Friendships and family, the items she had had since she was a baby, music that brought her peace, the calm atmosphere of _home_... Tiffany wonders if this memorial is not just for Beorn, but for her old home.

All the sentimental things back on earth were ripped away from her, and she was given memories of others. This room is one of them. Beorn was the greatest.

And of him, only memories - memories and an empty connection. Empty. Dead. Silent. It will not open again. She ventures into the connection. Until Beorn had died, she had been constantly within it, her and Beorn sharing emotions, feelings, blurry and vague ideas. When he had died, she had walled it off, unable to deal with the emptiness radiating from his end.

Unable to deal with her own emotions, she pours them into the connection, the emotional hurricane that she veils from the outside world. She keeps it tucked inside, normally, and it is still inside - Beorn didn't count. He'd never counted as 'outside, in the big open world'. Beorn knew every emotion and feeling of hers, constantly. All the time. Very few times had the link been cut - once, since she came to Tyria. Only once. The time she left him in the Chantry to keep the location, so she knew where to come back for him. That hadn't hurt. The connection had been broken temporarily, but now she knows he is dead, and part of her with him.

She lets herself mourn, but she doesn't show it outwardly. She pours it all into the empty connection, expressing herself in the nothingness, which is as effective as crying her heart out. Normally there is someone _there_ to feel it, and empathize with her. Empathy is so much better than sympathy. When the person who is sympathizing with you feels it, as well, and all the side-effects and has been so _linked_ to you for as long as you can remember, they know exactly how to comfort you. If they don't need comforting themselves, and knowing that somebody else needs comforting because of something happening to you - and they actually have a proper idea of what's happening to you - is the penultimate sympathy, the sort that even people who don't like sympathy can turn down.

And she doesn't have him now. All she has is the empty connection, but she can imagine he is there. It doesn't work. But she pours herself out over the connection anyway, emptying her grief into the nothingness. The grief, the anger at the Separatists, the shell-shock, the feeling of helplessness, the knowledge that she will toughen up and complete the mission - the secret mission! That only Beorn knew! - everything. The Elder Dragons will fall. No one else will die. The war against the centaurs will be won. The Dream will be safe from the Nightmare. The Inquest will be stopped. The Sons of Svanir will be slain. The Flame Legion will become obsolete. The world of Tyria will flourish. Tiffany is sure of it. It will happen, if for no other reason than for her to remember Beorn by.

He had realized their secret. Tiffany had talked to him sometimes, coupling words with the feelings and emotions, and she knows he understood. She had done that from childhood. And he understood their secret. From another world. But he also knows that she hasn't changed. He had taken the viewpoint that she was the same person, simply with extra memories. And because of the feeling and emotion sharing, and the ever-so-vague ideas, she had identified with that. She feels more like Tiffany Tassof, adopted daughter of Petra and Andrew Tassof, than like Tiffany Tassof, Guild Wars-playing menace, known as Commander Tiffany of the Pact, Slayer of Zhaitan and Mordremoth, Elder Dragons of Death, Plant and Mind, to her eye-rolling friends. She hardly feels like Tiffany Tassof, 24, of earth. More like Tiffany Tassof, 24, of Tyria.

The connection had shaped her. Changed her. She would not feel like this if not for the connection. Fiona probably still feels like she is in another world. Probably because she didn't have the immersion Tiffany has. She doesn't have a connection like she does.

But she does feel this way. Beorn knew their secret, and he didn't care, and Tiffany knows he wasn't just saying that, because she felt his feelings. So many things like that, had shaped her as she grew up in Tyria. She wonders how different she would be if she hadn't had that. Beorn was special that way - he knew their secret, and no one else did.

She still remembers the first time they had pooled power to heal with. Even though she was really only around two or three years old at the time, she remembers it. It had been so magical, and so hard to attain. She had had to be actually hurt for it to work. Done once, however, the same feat was replicated time and time again, growing the connection. Her instructors had shown her how to mentally link with Beorn, and it was so magical she never forgot. The first time she felt _him_ touching her mind, and _her_ touching his mind, trading faint, vague, feelings, mostly of joy and awe. And the connection had grown. It was intoxicating, to the extent she never let go. Petra and Andrew were even worried it might not be healthy, but the instructor had told them that this was really rare, and very healthy, and spoke of a ranger with very promising prowess. Most of those times had been told her later when she was older, and she only can recall, on her own, the minutes surrounding that first pool-power healing, the connecting with Beorn, and _feeling_ him.

It had only worked so well because of how young she was. Her mind was still bendable (she was only two or three!) and impressionable, and she had a strong imagination. Those were the main qualities required for even a start on the connection. but once begun, the connection had boomed.

She had learned the art of the bow not long after. She had grown up with her bow, small and weak once, but it tested her limits, challenging her to pull the string farther. Beorn had been there, encouraging her, helping her. Her instructors had told Petra and Andrew that the strength of the bow she wields is directly proportionate to the strength of the connection. Animals, they had explained, especially wild ones, understand the nature of the bow, and that it is her weapon, and would encourage her to get good at it.

Beorn had been a wild bear. Tiffany had been taken out into the wild as a two-year-old, and Beorn had sensed her. Animals sense strange things about people, apparently, and Beorn knew she would be his companion. Being wild, he didn't know much about the humans, and had tried to defend her when other humans approached. But still the connection hadn't been there until she needed it that first time. And he had helped her master the bow.

Her instructors had been awed at the strength of the connection. Tiffany remembers telling them, at one point when she was older, 'Beorn is anxious. I think he wants me to take a break and rest a while.' Her instructors had asked her where the name Beorn came from. Tiffany had said that it suited him to a T, and perhaps he had thought it up. Her instructors had been amazed at the level of connection the two shared, and whenever she was not learning the bow or other things a ranger needed to know, they had been enhancing her connection all they could.

As a result, she had gotten rather good at controlling her emotions, or at least how they showed. Beorn would be angry at something, which surged through the connection and Tiffany would have to rein in the impulse to shout at a person. She did this by redirecting the emotion back into the connection, thereby amplifying it on Beorn's end. Meaning that anybody Tiffany or Beorn got mad at for any reason generally got twice as much anger as he was bargaining for. In this manner the two kept negative emotions, or at least the ones only one of them wants to experience, to themselves, and positive emotions, or the ones they can experience together, were shared. But that is over now. Beorn is _gone_.

And into this vast connection Tiffany pours her heart out. Her every emotion, be it anger or grief or determination. And they all collide against Beorn's dead end and rebound back to Tiffany, redoubling her grief, both for the bouncing of the emotions and the _why_ the emotions are bouncing. Unable to bear the silence, rather than the normal soothing feelings, she withdraws and bars her end of the connection solidly, resolving not to open it again. The barred connection will always be a part of her, always a reminder of what she fights for, but she will not open it again.

She trembles. She has always shared her emotions with Beorn. Beorn had always kept her on track, reminding her of the goal when she strayed. Beorn, her constant companion. She wonders if she will be able to bear it. She has grown with Beorn, being linked to him shaping and changing her as she grew from the age of two and a bit to twenty-four.

' _I will not open it again_ ,' she tells herself. ' _It hurts too much. All I need in that place is a reminder of what I fight for._ '

She closes her eyes, remembering Beorn. ' _I saw the light fade from the sky/On the wind I heard a sigh/As the snowflakes cover/My fallen brothers/I will say this last goodbye. Night is now falling/So ends this day/The road is now calling and I/Must away...Fear not this night/You will not go astray/Though shadows fall/Still the stars find their way...I watched you as you left but I can never seem to let you go/I will never forget you/And you will always be by my side/From the day that I met you/I knew that I would know you till the day I died...These battle scars/Don't look like they're fading/Don't look like they're ever going away/They ain't never gonna change...Oh misty eye of the mountain below/Keep careful watch of my brother's soul/And should the sky be filled with fire and smoke/Kepp watching over Durin's sons...And there's nothing that I can do/Except bury my love for you/The brightness of the sun/Will give me just enough/To bury my love (to bury my love)/In the Moondust/I long to hear your voice/But still I make the choice/To bury my love (to bury my love) in the Moondust..._ '

Tiffany draws a deep shuddering breath. She twitches toward the connection again ' _Hope is all I have left_ ' but she firmly leaves it alone. ' _Dawn's just a heartbeat away/Hope's just a sunrise away_.'

Realizing the profoundness of those words, she clings to them. ' _Dawn's just a heartbeat away/Hope's just a sunrise away...Dawn's just a heartbeat away/Hope's just a sunrise away_.'

"I wish it were," Tiffany whispers. "Just a heartbeat. Any length, but for hope to return..." speaking aloud, she says, "for hope to return, the Elder Dragons must be defeated. The Elder Dragons, once gone, are no longer a threat. Why have I been waiting? Because they can only be defeated with unity. Unity! Unity is my hope, unity ismy passion, now. Unity for all and forever! If I ever found an Order, the slogan will not be 'Some must fight so that all may be free', but, oh, I don't know. Something about unity, anyway." she snorts. "And _that_ sounds weird. 'My slogan will be something about Unity. So we can destroy the dragons.' Heh. Unity. Falcon! Come tease me about the word Unity with a capital U! Come teach me how a programming platform will not save the woorld!"

Slightly cheered by the joke, she slowly goes downstairs. Fiona veils her presence until she is off the lofty heights of the steps (and therefore in everyone's sight).

Fiona remains by Tiffany for the rest of the day, hovering protectively.

Tiffany gets caught up with all her friends in a rather subdued manner, and Logan and Deborah both do their best to inform Tiffany of the dangers of being trained by DeGlasse without necessity, but Tiffany stoutly maintains that she will go to the Seraph Training Academy, and Fiona nods decisively.

After a while, Zojja approaches Fiona and informs her that she has important business to get back to, back in Rata Sum. Fiona (and Tiffany, who had been 'properly introduced' during the day) bid her goodbye, and Zojja infers (without actually saying it, she's _Zojja_ ) that the two can stop by at Rata Sum sometime after their training is finished, before leaving the tavern.

" **There's the next city to explore, after Hoelbrak** ," Tiffany mumbles. " **Soon enough, it'll have to be the Black Citadel.** "

" **We'll find a reason to get to know Rytlock somehow,** " Fiona replies.

Zojja's departure spurs others noting the sun's position and excusing themselves, until, a half hour later, everyone has gone except Logan, who is talking to Deborah about Seraph things.

"Well, that was...odd," Petra comments. "Having such a gathering of people, it was still rather quiet. The usual babble from having that many people was there, but really hushed."

"Yeah. Such gatherings always leave me rather tired." Tiffany comments, playing with a napkin on the counter in a tired way. "Well, not tired, per se, but I've never felt like _doing_ much after events like these. This one in particular, really."

"I know what you mean," Deborah tells her.

A little later, Tiffany and Fiona go sit on the front doorstep, looking out at the residential district. They converse in low tones and Shilgni.

" **This is nothing like the house back on earth,** " Tiffany comments.

" **Not at all. It's kind of... weird.** " Fiona struggles to find the right phrase. " **It's different. Sadly so. I miss the look out from the steps on the old house. Remember the big puddle?** "

" **Yeah. I was thinking about how we're not really people from earth, not really. We're more like Tyrians who have memory of earth than people from earth who got pulled into Tyria. That's how Beorn saw it.** "

" **That... I guess that makes sense. But it feels... wrong. It's like... like we're cheating on Tangwen, and Falcon, and all the others, saying we're from Tyria and not earth.** "

" **Yeah. But I've been infected with Beorn's viewpoint the last couple months, you know, from the connection, and it just feels more natural. Not that Beorn's viewpoint is bad, but you know.** "

" **I understand,** " Fiona replies with a sigh. " **But it also feels like we're abandoning all hope that we can ever return.** "

" **Hope is all we have left, Fiona.** " Tiffany answers sadly." **Remember Fear Not This Night?** _ **Dawn's just a heartbeat away/Hope's just a sunrise away**_ **.** "

Fiona lets out a heavy sigh. " **We'll never be happy if we dwell on it,** " Fiona says, standing up. " **We'll be Tyrians with memory of another world. There's no way we're getting back, at least anytime soon, and we might as well be. Who knows? Memory is finnicky like that.** "

" **It sure is. What do we do now? Go to bed?** "

" **Forgal wants to check on Falooaloo tomorrow, but we've nothing else planned. It's not like it's late or anything, we could go make sure the bandits are clear from the Bandithaunt Caverns.** "

" **Haven't they come up with another name now that they're not really the bandits' haunt anymore?** " Tiffany wonders.

Just then, Tangwen comes up the street. "Alright, how late is it?" she asks with a sigh.

"Oh, we were considering going to bed," Tiffany informs her, remembering english. "It's still Thursday."

"But it was only about an hour!" Tangwen protests.

"An hour translates to all day for us. What time - well, there is no telling time in Tyria. Hmm. Let's say it was about ten when you were here before, and about seven now. Nine hours, give or take a bit. And an hour for you. That means every nine hours, one hour passes for you. That's even worse!"

Tangwen is silent for a moment, but Tiffany can hear rapid clicking coming from her character.

"That makes two hours a day*!" Tangwen says in dismay after a moment. "Two hours to me is twenty-four for you!"

"Two hours?" Tiffany asks, thunderstruck, slipping back into Tyrian in shock. "The game operates on a day/night cycle of two hours! There's twelve pairs of hours in your day, meaning that even if you log on precisely every twenty-four hours, it'll be twelve days for us!"

Tiffany and Fiona look at each other in dismay. "Oh, no," Tiffany sighs, sinking back on the doorstep, Fiona following her. Tangwen types in /sit [enter] and her character does the female sylvari sit animation.

"Well, at least we know it won't get any quicker," Fiona sighs in english.

"Who is this?" Logan asks from behind them.

"You mean we haven't introduced you to Tangwen?" Tiffany queries in Tyrian, scrambling up from her seat on the doorstep. "Tangwen, this is Logan Thackeray, one of our good friends. Logan, this is Tangwen, another one of our good friends." she gestures with her hands while she speaks.

"Hello," Logan says to Tangwen. After a moment, Tangwen echoes him. In Tyrian.

' _She can't say anything in Tyrian!_ ' Tiffany thinks, panicky. ' _She's safe with echoing 'hello' because she knows they were just introduced!_ ' she glances at Tangwen, who is doing an idle animation. She sighs in frustration.

"I didn't see you at the memorial," Logan says, question in his voice.

"She couldn't come," Tiffany explains, as if cutting in before Tangwen can asnwer. "And we kind of forgot to invite her... the last time we saw her was on Saturday, before we'd decided to have the memorial, and we never got around to going there."

"I understand," Logan nods. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to be going."

"See you," Tiffany replies, as Logan waypoints.

"That... was close," Tiffany shudders, speaking in english.

"Did I get saying hello right?" Tangwen asks, saying 'hello' in Tyrian.

"Right enough," Fiona assures her. "Saying hello is easy enough, and I suppose it's a good skill to learn, hanging around us... but if you never say anything but that, it'll be kinda odd."

"I went out on a limb with that one," Tangwen admits. "I couldn't tell if it was one word or a whole sentence."

"They aren't _that_ different?" Fiona asks, turning it into a question.

"I guess they must be," Tiffany sighs.

* * *

Logan does not waypoint to Palace waypoint, as the Tassof girls and their sylvari friend might have assumed. Instead, he goes to the Seraph Training Academy, and to Pierre DeGlasse's office, where he knocks on the door.

"Just a kittening moment!" hollers the Seraph trainer.

Logan smiles in humour and opens the door anyway. DeGlasse is just rising from his chair behind the desk.

DeGlasse looks furious for a brief moment before he sees who it is, and thumps his chest in salute. "Captain Thackeray, sir!" he says, standing at attention.

"Oh, Pierre," he sighs, shaking his head with a slight smile. "You are starting a class the day after tomorrow, right?"

"Yes, Captain Thackeray, sir!" Pierre replies, still standing at attention.

"Relax, Pierre," Logan informs him. He does so reluctantly. "Two of them are named..." Logan tries to remember. "Catava Anoif and Kasmeer Inafit. Kasmeer Inafit is a ranger, and has recently suffered a loss in the form of her animal companion."

"Understood, Captain," Peirre answers cautiously with a peculiar grimace. "What about Catava Anoif?"

Logan blinks, wondering why he'd mentioned her. Tiffany and Fiona were just always together. Always. Just like him and Rytlock had been, before... well, best not to dwell on it.

"She is an excellent mesmer, Pierre. You'll have fun with her," he informs the Seraph drill sergeant.

Pierre's eyes light up. "Oh, excellent. Do you know how good, Captain?"

"I think I'll let you find out, Pierre," Logan replies with a mysterious smile. "I believe you were busy, so I'll let myself out."

Pierre nods uncertainly, but waits until Logan is out the door before reseating himself at his desk.

* * *

The next day, Tiffany and Fiona waypoint to Palace waypoint, intending to use the asura gate to get to Hoelbrak and show Forgal Falooaloo, but the asura gate is down, roped off. The normal purple glow has gone out.

Tiffany and Fiona stare at the apparently broken asura gate in consternation. Tiffany notes a pompous-looking merchant arguing with an asura. And getting nowhere. As expected.

"What are we going to do?" Fiona wonders.

"No idea. Let's ask Deborah if she knows." Tiffany decides.

The two waypoint home.

* * *

"Hey, Deborah?" Tiffany hollers.

"Yeah?"

"What's up with the asura gate?"

"Some asuran criminal - possibly Inquest - is wanted in Rata Sum. They've closed the gates until - well, they say until further notice - until they catch her." Deborah replies, coming down the stairs in her Seraph gear.

"So how do we get to Hoelbrak?"

"Walk," Deborah shrugs. "I, for one, doubt the asura at the gate will budge. But if the gate here is closed, so will the one at Lion's Arch."

"I wonder if we can find Forgal at the Vigil Keep and ask if we can go to Falooaloo another time," Tiffany suggests. "Walking there would take all day."

"But they might not be there another time," Fiona frowns. "The next chance we'll have will be after Seraph training, and they were going to move as soon as the eggs hatched. Today might be the last day, or they might even have gone by now."

"Did they ever say where?"

"I think I heard Orinoo mention Lion's Arch last time I saw him."

"Well, Vigil Keep's an equal distance from here as Lion's Arch is, and neither are entirely too far away. Do you think short waypoint hops would be more efficient than one long one?"

"No idea, but it'd be expensive either way," Fiona shrugs. "Let's head to Vigil Keep."

"Waypointing to there is cheap, because it's inside a multi-racial organization's headquarters," Deborah informs them.

"Oh, that's great!" Tiffany replies, cheered. "Let's go then, we might not catch Forgal if we wait."

The two disappear in a puff of blue.

* * *

At the Vigil Keep, Tiffany glances around a moment to get her bearings, before pausing. "Where do we start?"

"We're so clueless half the time," Fiona sighs. "If I were an asura maybe I would invent a mutual tracking device to keep track of everyone we know."

"Since when is being asura prerequisite for inventing something?" Tiffany queries. " **Humans invented the Watchknights, and human technology was put into the Pact airships, as well as charr technology.** "

" **Point taken** ," Fiona agrees. "But that doesn't answer the question of how to find Forgal."

"Warmaster Forgal Kernsson? He's talking to General Almorra about the asura gate problem," a nearby charr informs them. "It's a bad problem, and it needs to be resolved. No asura gates!"

"Thank you," Tiffany says to the charr. Turning to Fiona, she adds, "we can wait outside until Forgal's done talking to General Almorra."

Fiona nods. "Lead the way, sister of mine. I'm feeling extremely uncomfortable here."

"What, 'cause you're Priory?" Tiffany queries with a slight laugh. " **If the Vigil can't stand that, the Pact shouldn't have worked.** "

" **It is their headquarters, and I'm sure even with the Pact they wouldn't have allowed this.** "

" **It's not an issue, because they don't know, and they need never know. Besides, I'm - oh, nevermind.** " Tiffany laughs a tad nervously. " **You'd think I'd get used to what I'm not by this time, eh? And Warmaster isn't even rooted as deeply in as Commander is, I was only Warmaster for like one mission, maybe two.** "

" **Yeah right. I haven't the slightest clue what I'll do the next time somebody calls somebody else Commander and you twitch.** "

" **Me neither, because I got over that back when dealing with Commander Serentine. I think? Whate - it doesn't matter. Here we are. Time to wait.** " Tiffany adds, as she pauses near a large door. " **Best not to stand in the walkway, though.** "

"We can sit over there," Fiona says, gesturing at a nearby bench. "So, what are we going to do about visiting Falooaloo?"

"We're already halfway there," Tiffany shrugs. "More if we waypoint to the Durmand Priory. It's nearer there, right?"

"We're in upper **Gendarran Fields** , right?" Fiona checks. "Yeah, the Durmand Priory is closer."

"Only, Forgal might not have that waypoint," Tiffany frowns worriedly.

"It'll work out. Worst case scenario, the quaggans move to Lion's Arch and we can talk to them there. I mean, it's not like there's a lot to _see_ at Falooaloo, aside from the norm."

Tiffany sniggers slightly, but it triggers a full-blown laugh.

"What?" Fiona queries.

"The norn!" Tiffany manages. "Not much to see at Falooaloo, aside from the norn!"

"I said 'norm', as in, short for normal," Fiona checks.

"I know! That's why it's funny!" Tiffany answers, smiling broadly.

The door near them opens and Forgal strides through with General Almorra, his glance falling on Tiffany.

"Crusader Tiffany," he greets her. "Fiona."

"Crusader Tiffany," General Almorra greets as well. "Warmaster Forgal has been telling me of your exploits."

"General Almorra," Tiffany replies, saluting. "Warmaster Forgal is a good mentor. I wouldn't have been able to do a thing without him."

"Well, I think I have a mission for you," the General informs her. Tiffany remains silent and at attention. "There is a rogue asura by the name of Fieuzz** running amok. She was last sighted in western Kryta, very recently too. You may have heard?"

"Yes, General," Tiffany answers.

"The asura gates are down as a result," General Almorra informs her with a stern frown. "Fieuzz must be stopped. Can you and Warmaster Forgal find her and bring her to Rata Sum?"

"Yes, General Almorra." Tiffany replies, saluting again.

"Remember, the reactivation of the asura gates depends on it," the leader of the Vigil reminds her sternly.

"I'll get it done as soon as possible, General," Tiffany replies. Inwardly she is dancing. Something new! Something _new_! There hasn't been much new in Tyria recently.

"For now, members of the Vigil have gathered as much information on the asura as possible." General Almorra informs Tiffany. "She is an engineer, of the College of Dynamics. She is dangerous, so be careful. She has possible Inquest ties and likes experimenting on unwary innocents, usually lethally. We do not know much about her history, but she does have slight Ascalonian ties. Warmaster Forgal can take you to where there is an image of her, so you will know her on sight. She has a rather high-pitched voice."

"Thank you for the information, General," Tiffany says with another salute. ' _With Fiona's Priory ties and our new connection in the Order of Whispers, this should be easy...er than it should be._ '

General Almorra nods, before turning aside and addressing another member of the Vigil nearby.

Tiffany returns her attention to Forgal. "I was wondering how we would get to Falooaloo," she informs him. "Last time we used the asura gates, to get to Hoelbrak, and from there it's not more than a half hour walk, but they are down."

"I doubt we'll catch this Fieuzz character in time to be reasonable," Fiona pipes up. "How long would walking take, from the Durmand Priory?"

"I don't have a map," Tiffany frowns. "But, isn't Falooaloo just south of Hoelbrak?"

"There's a map in the Priory's archives somewhere, an asura named..." Fiona pauses for a moment, trying to remember. "Prek. He can retrieve it for me. It has the locations of all the jotun settlements marked on it, from when I was trying to locate Falooaloo in the first place."

"That alright with you, Forgal?" Tiffany queries.

"I don't mind, but the members of the Priory might," Forgal says dubiously.

"Fiona can cover you with an illusion," Tiffany answers, solving the problem. "But, do you have any waypoints there?"

"No. But we can go to the Vigil headquarters in Lion's Arch via waypoint, and I know the Durmand Priory is near Lion's Arch."

"Right up next to it," Fiona confirms. "Let's go!"

"Wait," Tiffany says. "Forgal, can you show us what this Fieuzz person looks like?"

"Of course," Forgal replies, turning and striding away. Tiffany and Fiona hurry after him.

Forgal enters a large room with papers tacked all over the walls. Most of them are written, and seem to be reports of potential disasters waiting to happen, and urgent missions that need completing.

"Here is where a member of the Vigil comes when looking for another assignment," Forgal tells Tiffany. "Unless it has the red mark of restricted on it, as Fieuzz's file does." he points at a large poster of what Tiffany assumes to be Fieuzz.

The asura - slightly smaller than average - has huge green eyes covered with goggles that make her look like an engineer (she is, Tiffany reminds herself), longer than average ears (even for an asura), and her head is faintly tiger-striped by a slightly different shade of asura-skin gray. Her clothing is hard-looking leather, geometrically patterned, and has purple, glowing bits of what Tiffany guesses are power crystals or something of the sort, sunk into her leather tunic at places around her chest and shoulders, which are covered by a glass-like sort of metal, and smooth gauntlets guard her arms up to the elbow. At her waist are several pouches that could contain anything. She appears to be standing in the middle of an expansive cavern, speaking (her mouth is filled with extra-sharp teeth) to someone outside the picture's range, with the bored, frustrated, 'why-am-I-explaining-this' look that is too familiar on asura. She is wearing a large backpack on her back, to which a long brass rifle is attached by a hose, leaning on her shoulder.

The three study the image for a while, Fiona carefully constructing an illusionary copy next to her, to help her memory. It is a flat image, like the picture, but it will do.

"We ready?" Tiffany queries after a couple minutes.

"I think so," Fiona replies, running a critical eye over her illusion and back at the flat image of the engineer.

"Let's go then. To Fort Marriner!" Tiffany answers.

* * *

The three disappear in puffs of blue, reappearing at Fort Marriner, before walking to the Postern Ward and crossing into the Shiverpeaks.

Forgal's disguise consists of different-looking armor, as most of it is Vigil-issued. But it isn't required that he look different aside from that, so he doesn't.

Fiona leads the way to the wall with a map in it, near to which the asura Prek is standing. Fiona waits until the sylvari studying a map of the Dragonbrand leaves, before asking Prek (who doesn't remember her, but her name is associated with her map) to bring up her map.

Once done, the map shows up, displaying waypoints and everything, even with a useful little function to tell how much a waypoint would cost from the Durmand Priory.

"Hey, the cost from here to Falooaloo is only a little more than from Shaemoor to Palace waypoint," Tiffany observes. "We could all waypoint from here with little trouble."

"Forgal doesn't have the waypoint," Fiona points out.

"I have the ones in Hoelbrak, though," Forgal informs them. "It's not a long walk, and it isn't late."

"Let's do that, then," Fiona decides. "Prek, can you add a blue dot right here?" she taps the map over Falooaloo. A moment later, the mentioned dot appears. "Thank you. Come on, you two," she says, disappearing in another puff of blue.

* * *

At Southern Watchpost waypoint, Fiona leads the way to Falooaloo, trading nods with Bor outside Travelen's steading, before heading on to Falooaloo.

Surprisingly, there are quaggans on the ice, along with other things. Shashoo is giving directions, and Orinoo is resting off to the side.

A minute after the three (Forgal now undisguised) arrive near the quaggan village, a quaggan pops her head out of the (much larger) hole in the ice, before zipping over to Fiona, closely followed by another.

"FioOonaa!" the quaggan cries happily. "Coo! You saved my life! CooOoo!"

"Oh, you're the one who was hurt by the Svanir? Oona, right?" Fiona queries. "Did it heal okay?"

"I have a scar, but it's alright," Oona replies. "See? It looks like the Dragonbrand!"

Fiona laughs. "I see it does."

"Fiona!" Orinoo says, having noticed them. "We are moving out today."

"Did any more Icebrood come?" Tiffany asks concernedly.

"No," Shashoo says, approaching. "You helped the quaggans massively, both of you, by guarding the gatherers for so long, long enough we still have lots of supplies to get us settled in our new home."

"Where will your new home be?" Fiona queries.

"We have a patch outside Lion's Arch selected," Shashoo informs them. "Other quaggans can join us there if they need to. We will spend the next little while building it, because we cannot get our pods to Lion's Arch from here. We will be able to do that instead of gathering because of your help last week. Coo!"

"That's great!" Tiffany smiles.

"What exactly did they do?" Forgal queries.

"They gave us some sound advice and guarded our gathering parties from numerous Svanir and Icebrood," Shashoo informs the Warmaster. "If they didn't, we most likely would be dealing with a lot of foo and boo right now. I'm sure Oona would be dead, and perhaps all in that gathering party. In all the gathering parties. They were a big help. Coo!"

"I see," Forgal replies in a grave tone. "What about the Icebrood? Have they been attacking Falooaloo?"

"The Icebrood have been kept down a lot," Orinoo says. "When Disa Travelensdottir died to Icebrood - foo on them! - Bor, a close friend of hers, contacted some of his other friends and started an Icebrood-hunting group that routinely scour this area of Icebrood. Coo! It has helped quaggans a lot, and Falooaloo is doing very good. The eggs hatched yesterday, and we started preparing to leave this morning."

"How long will it take to move?" Fiona asks.

"Oh, we will be busy all day," Narrijoo informs Fiona, approaching slowly. "The new tadpoles are learning to walk - where they normally wait a couple of weeks - so they will be ready when we are, coo! They might be the best walkers in Falooaloo." Narrijoo seems unsure what to think of that development.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Tiffany asks uncertainly.

"NooOo," Narrijoo says. "Only quaggans know what to do."

"I understand," Tiffany replies honestly.

At that moment, Narrijoo is called away, and Shashoo and Orinoo go back to their work. Oona stays by Fiona, however, until Orinoo calls her to help him.

"What do you think of Falooaloo?" Fiona queries.

"They seem to be thriving," Forgal answers, watching the quaggans' preparations to leave. "They seem quite happy, too."

"They are a happy people," Tiffany agrees.

"I think I have seen and heard all I needed to see and hear," Forgal says, at length.

The three quietly waypoint back to the Vigil Keep.

* * *

"Do you want to help us scour western Kryta for an elusive asura?" Tiffany asks Forgal.

Forgal's mouth twitches as if to smile. "I might have to make your sister a member of the Order, as well," he replies, amused. "She does all your missions with you."

"You'd have to take that up with the General," Tiffany jokes. "She is a - what, Scholar now? - of the Durmand Priory." ' _And an unofficial Initiate of the Order of Whispers,_ ' Tiffany adds in her mind. ' _Whoa, Fiona would be in all of the three if that happened!_ '

"It was a joke, I'm sure, Tiffany," Fiona scolds Tiffany, elbowing her playfully. "I'm not Vigil type."

"Hmm, well, let's see," Tiffany says with mock severity. "You are awesome at kicking people's heads in - and Risen count in that - you are good at thinking up humorous ways of doing so, you properly hate the dragons, you like the idea of giving Zhaitan a good bashing, you took initiative helping the quaggans, you're looking forward to investigating the skritt with Sieran, you really want to take down this Fieuzz character, you - "

Fiona lets out a laugh. "You're hilarious. You do know that, right?" she peers at Tiffany in mock worry.

"It comes with being weird," Tiffany replies in a pretend stuck-up tone, which she promptly ruins by laughing. "But you still have not answered my question, Forgal," she continues, looking at the Warmaster. "We will also use the time to investigate the human war with the centaurs and possible kill a couple dozen of them."

"I don't see why not," Forgal replies.

"Do we know exactly where Fieuzz was sighted?" Fiona queries.

"Nope," Tiffany replies cheerily. "I say we stop the war while keeping a wary eye out. If the humans aren't busy joining the Seraph to fight the centaurs, perhaps they'll join the Vigil. And we can tell other people to keep an eye out for Fieuzz, too. The more the merrier, you know."

"Alright. Beetletun, then?"

"I don't know of many waypoints in Kryta," Forgal points out. "How far is the war front from here?"

"If Deborah told the Seraph our ideas from the other day, there should be - well, even if she didn't - there should be a huge centaur camp to the west of here. Let's head that way and take some out, don't you think?"

"Good enough for me," Fiona shrugs. "West, you say? Let's go!"

"Wait," Forgal says. "If I remember that map of yours correctly, from earlier, there's a bunch of pirates just west. The centaurs must be beyond that. But I know how to get around the lake here, follow me."

He leads the way further into the Vigil Keep and over a bridge, leading into a part of the Keep that Tiffany doesn't know so well.

On the edge of the battlements, as far west as they can get, Forgal points out a waypoint much further on, visible only because of the height the walls of the Keep provide.

* * *

The three waypoint to there, before striking out west. After a while, they see a large pool of water enclosed by a fence. A large creature is roaming within, and centaurs guard it. There are several human bodies within the enclosure.

"Centaurs," Tiffany says simply, barreling forward, Fiona and Forgal on her heels.

After those centaurs are defeated, Fiona finds a bridge leading to the main centaur territory.

"Wait," Tiffany says, after crossing the bridge. "We'll do better _not_ attacking an edge randomly. We should find Nebo Terrace and attack from there."

Forgal nods approvingly.

"Nebo Terrace is to the south," Fiona remembers. "We can still cut down centaurs as we pass them, though."

"Never said we couldn't," Tiffany agrees.

* * *

 _Author's Notes:_

Information-filled chapter, huh? Don't worry, you'll have plenty of time to digest it.

I am going to be away from my computer for four days, starting on Thursday. I'll be writing what I can from my phone from Thursday to Sunday, and maybe Monday. But the next chapter will likely be even slower than this one. So reread this chapter if you like...

And reread chapter fifteen. Please. I don't like Beorn's death any more than you do, and I'm still looking (however lost the cause might be) for a loophole. The next couple chapters will be hectic.

* I may have done the math for the time rates of earth vs. Tyria, but I don't remember. I don't feel like figuring out exactly how long Tangwen would have had to be too busy to get that, but I'll try to do the math in the future. Just that once it didn't matter, though.

** Fieuzz is the intellectual propery of the fanfiction writer Icarus Isambard, whom I asked for permission to use Fieuzz in my story. If you were wondering, I pronounce the name Feeuzz. I do not know if that is correct (asura names are wacky) but it's how I do so.


	21. Chapter 21: The Seraph Training Academy

SOLDIERS, SCHOLARS, AND SPIES

* * *

Summary: Tiffany, Fiona, and Forgal kill all the centaurs at Ambush Camp, before Tiffany and Fiona head back to Divinity's Reach to start Seraph training. Several serious things are discussed that night, and the next day the two are tested for their professions. Fiona, as Catava, gets mesmer easily enough, but Tiffany's (as Kasmeer) ranger test does not go _quite_ as planned.

* * *

Chapter twenty-one: The Seraph Training Academy

* * *

 _Author's Notes:_

I can't put any A/N at the top or there'll be spoilers. So it's all at the bottom. Or not.

 _ **Okay, here's the story now:**_

* * *

Tiffany, Forgal, and Fiona speak to Deborah at Nebo Terrace, who informs them that the 'get-the-centaurs-in-the-pass-and-ambush-them' plan had succeeded, and that there are now no more centaurs on the western side of Guardian's Pass.

The Seraph outpost at Stoneguard Gate is in the process of being set up again, and the centaurs are being held off quite nicely from the north of Nebo Terrace. However, Deborah tells them that the Seraph at Nebo Terrace haven't heard anything from the 'hidden' centaur camp to the southwest, and she fears they are planning an attack.

The three inform Deborah that they will go check it out, and ask if she knows any entrance into the cave system.

"Oh, just south of Talijian waypoint," Deborah replies. "If you leave Nebo Terrace from the western entrance and head southwest, you'll hit it. Then keep heading south and slightly west until you find the entrance. It shouldn't be hard. There is an entrance if you just follow the path west and north, but it leads right into the main area, and I think infiltration is a better idea."

Tiffany thanks Deborah, before she and her companions head towards Ambush Camp.

As they are exploring the area south of Nebo Terrace, Tiffany sees some wild bears roaming around. As brown bears, they are quite similar to Beorn, and Tiffany sits on a hill watching them for a while, while Fiona and Forgal try to find the entrance.

Tiffany gets the urge to poke at her connection again, just to make sure one of the bears isn't Beorn. But if one of them were, he'd come to her. ' _I said I wouldn't open the connection again_ ,' Tiffany reminds herself. But she can't stop watching the bears. ' _I wonder what happens to bears when they die. I mean, I know what happens to normal ones. But I never heard of a sentient one before I came to Tyria and met Beorn properly._ '

She knows that none of the wild bears are Beorn. There are a couple younger ones around, but Tiffany knows she won't ever cultivate the bond she had with Beorn with another companion. Sure, after a while, she might have Shelob or Gwahir by her side, but even if she tried, none of them would have the level she had had with Beorn.

One of the bears approaches her and looks at her curiously. It's younger than the others, and hasn't learned to be suspicious.

"Hello, bear cub," she says softly. "Have you ever lost a companion before?"

The cub makes a little whiny noise in the back of it's throat, and looks north, towards Nebo Terrace. Tiffany gets the sense that the little cub has, and it was humans from Nebo Terrace. Tiffany is good at reading bear talk, from receiving sensations from Beorn.

"I know how you feel," Tiffany tells the bear. "I lost a companion recently, too. He was a bear, like you."

The cub blinks at her, and grumbles a protest.

"I don't suppose you want to hear about that," Tiffany realizes. "It is painful. What is it like in this grassy plain? I get the feeling that centaurs don't come here very often, and the Seraph at Nebo Terrace are busy with the war. There seem to be a lot of bears here, so I don't think you have too many predators."

The bear sniffs at her curiously. Tiffany regards the bear - a female, she can tell - solemnly.

"If I don't quit, I won't be able to get rid of you. I knew a fellow named Rox who got a devourer attached to her even though she didn't want him. And then she gave in, and he became a loyal pet. But I don't want another bear. Which is what Rox said, about devourers. You know," Tiffany says suddenly, becoming pensive. It is safe to mention this because she knows that Rox is doing things in Ascalon somewhere. ' _I wonder if the cave-in happened yet? The problem is that the cave-in is likely the only natural disaster to occur to any of us, and I don't know when._ ' "Our situations are very much the same. I just hope the trend doesn't continue with you. Go play, little bear. Go see your mother. Are you hungry?"

The bear whines at her, before padding away on silent paws. Tiffany looks after her, sighing wistfully for Beorn. While on the subject of companion similarities with other rangers she knows, Eir and Garm are a good place to start, except in reverse. Garm lost Eir in Heart of Thorns. Tiffany had read up on that, and it had been surprisingly sad, because she hadn't been thinking about that angle of Eir's death much. But she does know that Garm was inconsolable once he heard of Eir's death. He hadn't known about it until he was told, having been separated at the time. Except, for Garm, he probably hadn't looked at random female norn and wished they were Eir, because it is easier for animals to look alike than people.

"Tiffany, we found the entrance," Fiona says from behind Tiffany.

Tiffany silently gets to her feet and follows Fiona west, and into the hole in the cliff that is a tunnel.

The three kill many centaurs that afternoon, and Fiona has a great time with her illusions, at one point even making Foral look like a high-ranking centaur and call all the centaurs around him. Two seconds into his crazy centaur-speech he signals for Fiona to drop the illusion, at which point hidden clones spring out of the centaur crowd, Forgal decapitates the centaurs closest to him, and a hail of arrows wounds the rest, before the centaurs realize what is happening and get on their game, at which point several clones appear around Forgal to help protect him.

Tiffany sharply misses Beorn suddenly, having absentmindedly directed him to assist Fiona's clones in defending Forgal. Grimacing, she cuts a path to him herself.

They do not kill all the centaurs by the time night is falling outside, but the threesome certainly empty out Ambush Camp pretty well, and better than Tiffany and Fiona could have done without Forgal.

"We need to bring you with us more often!" Tiffany declares, as the group emerges from the caverns at the exit nearer to Nebo Terrace.

And then an arrow sails through the air from behind them, and strikes the ground several feet in front of them.

Tiffany whirls around, arrow to the string, to see a lot of centaurs - certainly all that were left in the caverns - charging them.

The group can handle them, but it is late and Tiffany and Fiona need to be getting to the Seraph Training Academy soon. They are near the crossroads, which is quite a ways from Nebo Terrace, but Deborah should be coming along here on her way home soon.

By now, the centaurs are quite close, and Tiffany slings her bow on her back, grabbing the axes at her sides and checking the daggers strapped to her elbows, before leaping forward, Forgal at her side.

Tiffany spins through the centaurs, several times unconsciously sending signals to a non-existent Beorn before snatching them back, gritting her teeth and continuing alone but for Forgal and Fiona.

She dodges around one of Fiona's illusions and sinks a spare knife into a centaur's back, kicking one of them behind, before snatching an illusionary sword out of the air, leaping onto the back of another centaur (who doesn't like that in the least) and decapitating several around her, before jabbing the sword into the centaur's back and leaving it to shatter, picking up her axes again.

Then Deborah arrives with a couple Seraph friends, and instantly taking stock of what is going on, leaps into the fray with her own weapon, the other Seraph close behind her.

Pretty soon, the centaurs are all dead.

"Were you losing?" Deborah teases. "I can see no other reason to fight Ambush Camp centaurs out here."

"They're not the Ambush Camp centaurs for no reason," Fiona retorts. "We'd left the camp when they stupidly shot an arrow at us, heralding their presence so Tiffany had time enough to check her weapons."

"Doesn't matter," Deborah says seriously, playing her Seraph Sergeant role perfectly. "At least you civilians are safe."

"Hey, us two are at least Vigil Crusader and Warmaster, respectively," Tiffany laughs. "It's Fiona you need to worry about, and even Priory can take care of themselves, particularly such a battle-oriented one as my sister. Ss. Sisters plural," she corrects when she sees Deborah's stern look harden. "Now, us two need to head up to the Academy, so _if_ you'll excuse us, we'll see you... whenever you come around the Academy. I will see you... whenever you come around to the Academy, Forgal. Deborah will show you the way if she is feeling kind. Big D, how - " Tiffany cuts off with a laughing snort, before continueing. Fiona is laughing her head off in the background. "How long does the training last?"

"Three weeks," Deborah says promptly.

"Alright, see you then, you two. Seeya!" Tiffany dissappears with Fiona in a puff of blue.

* * *

At the Dwayna waypoint, Tiffany sets out, heading north on Dwayna High Road.

She sees an odd group ahead of them, a late-teenager looking boy and an older man linked together with a length of rope, held by a dark-skinned woman who seems to be an elementalist. Tiffany shrugs off the odd-looking group - it's _Divinity's Reach_ , odd things are bound to happen in the capital of Kryta.

At the Ossan waypoint, Tiffany sighs.

"Alright, so where do we go now?" Fiona asks, stumped.

"Wait?" Tiffany shrugs.

Suddenly, her surroundings overlap in several places, moving in and out of each other like an unfocused camera, before everything goes dark.

* * *

She wakes up with a start, leaping to her feet and hands going to her axes (knowing that her enemy is likely at close range) in one motion, but they aren't there. She grabs for her bow, and it isn't there either.

She panicks, getting flashbacks of when she was captured by the Separatists. She snatches open the connection to Beorn frantically, before she realizes what she is doing and shuts it sharply. She feels at her elbows for her knives, the ones nomally held at her shoulderblades by a leather strap, the ones next to her wrists for easy retrieval, the pair in her boots (no longer so dull), but none of them are there.

She glances at Fiona, who looks stunned, hands where her weapons should be.

Tiffany is shocked. Ever since her entrance to Tyria, she has never been weaponless. Without her weapons she feels lost. What can she do? She is helpless! She wonders how she had managed without a weapon before she came to Tyria. She'd mostly used her legs and kicked, but then, she was defending from siblings who didn't have weapons either. ( _That_ would have been terrible.) But she is up against - oh. The Seraph.

She lets out a laugh, sitting down in a nearby chair. "Fiona, we've been had," she says to Fiona, who is staring at her like she's crazy. "Remember what Deborah said about going to the Ossan Quarter. She said we'd be knocked out and brought to the Academy. Oh, Fiona."

"You're just happy it's not an enemy," Fiona observes dryly. "Now, shut up and let me illusion!"

A moment later, Tiffany is Kasmeer Inafit, and Fiona is Catava Anoif.

"I just wish Deborah had told us about no weapons." Kasmeer says ruefully. "It did make me realize we need a backup plan for if this happens and it _is_ an enemy. It was embarrassing how easily we were knocked out."

"Probably a zap of lightning from a good elementalist," Catava grumbles. "Or maybe the whole thing was an illusion. Or maybe, just maybe, somebody knocked us out with the flat of a sword."

"Right. The question is, how'd they sneak up on us?"

"Who knows?" Catava shrugs.

"Hey!" Kasmeer hollers. "Are we stuck in here forever?"

The door (how hadn't Kasmeer noticed it?) opens for a tall woman in the Seraph uniform.

Catava falls into her shy role, and Kasmeer into her dominant, protective one. They both stand and salute the Seraph officer.

"Come with me," the dark-skinned female (wasn't she the one Tiffany had seen earlier on Dwayna High Road?) instructs them.

The Seraph officer turns on her heel and marches down the hallway, Kasmeer hot on her heels and Catava following behind just a tad more slowly. Several doors dot the corridor.

At the end of the hallway, the corridor opens into a long, oval-shaped room. There are doors in the far left and far right walls, slightly facing each other in the curved wall.

Their guide enters the left door. There is a large, circular room filled with other female recruits.

"This is the female barracks," she says stiffly. "You will find a Seraph recruit outfit by your bunks. Miss Anoif, you take the lower bunk labeled C. Miss Inafit, you bunk in U-K. For now, your seats here have the same lettering. Upper is left, facing the seat. You will have minimal time to dress in the morning, so I suggest you sleep prepared."

The woman turns on her heel and marches out the door.

Kasmeer, deciding that U-K means Upper bunk labeled K, glances at the letters over the seats in the circular room, and finds the chair marked K on the left. She uneasily takes her seat. She glances around for Catava, who is taking a seat closer to the door. The curvature of the room means they can easily see each other.

Kasmeer glances to her left to see who else is K, and sees a tall (perhaps even norn?), stern-looking woman several years younger than Kasmeer (although it's rather hard to tell).

Just then, the door opens again and another recruit is shown in, and given the same speech as Kasmeer and Catava. This one is an S.

Kasmeer notices that many letters are missing, but there is space for them, if need be. Interesting.

The U-S introduces himself to his partner, L-S, sparking a conversation between them.

Following her example, Kasmeer introduces herself to her partner. She sees the rest of the room doing the same. Catava, who doesn't have a partner, looks lost. "Hello, I'm Kasmeer Inafit."

"Nice to meet you, Kasmeer," the other recruit says in a slightly odd tone. "I'm Kai Karkasonne." she looks at Kasmeer for a moment. "I know another Kasmeer, you know. This is going to be odd."

' _Well, she seems nice enough,_ ' Kasmeer thinks. "Oh? Who is that?"

"The daughter of a noble, of the Meade family," Kai Karkasonne says offhandedly. "You don't look a thing like her, though."

' _Oh, my,_ ' Tiffany thinks to herself. "I'm no noble," she admits. "But you've piqued my interest." ' _And Fi - Catava's,_ ' she decides. Fiona has been playing with sound tricks recently, and so of course Catava would inherit the abilities.

"Have I?" Kai queries. "My mother, who is a noble herself, simply likes getting me acquainted with her friends. But I'm going to be a Seraph. Do you know anything about it?"

"Only that the war needs as many helping as it can get," Kasmeer says solemnly. "What profession are you going to be?"

"Guardian," Kai says firmly. "Nothing but."

"I'm a ranger," Kasmeer informs her. "Do you have any idea how the professions are selected?"

"Not really," Kai admits.

The conversation continues in mundane topics for a while, Tiffany carefully avoiding the subject of Kasmeer.

About ten minutes later, the stern, elementalist returns, and says that lights-out is in five minutes, and that she will get them all situated in their bunks, in the next room.

The room follows the stern woman, who reminds them all of their bunks, in order from Z to A, to make it easier in the narrow space for recruits to navigate.

Kasmeer finds her way down the row to the set of bunks - one top, one bottom - labeled K.

Across from her and one set of bunks down, Catava is standing by C. ' _At least we're close to each other,_ ' Kasmeer decides.

Next to her bunk are two lockers, one on each side of the bunk. The rightmost one has a name over it - Kai Karkasonne - so she looks at the left one, which her name over it.

"You wil open your lockers with your palm print," the stern woman orders. "Place your hand next to your locker, and it will open."

Kasmeer places her hand by her locker, and it pops open. ' _Like in_ _Ender's Game_ _,_ ' she thinks to herself. Inside the locker is a full linen outfit. There seems to be space for much more, but it is empty. Remembering the Seraph officer's admonition about having minimal time in the morning, she pulls the outfit out of the locker, mimicking everyone else.

Now she is uncertain how to proceed, like most others in the room. Suddenly, a wall of fire springs up, walling her off from the rest of the room. It is not hot, but it blocks her sight, so she shrugs and dresses herself in the linens.

Several minutes later, the wall of fire dissipates, not having harmed the wooden bunks.

"Lights-out is in one minute," the woman says firmly. "I will spend that time getting you acquainted with what you might expect tomorrow. I am Atalanta Fiero, assistant Seraph Trainer to Pierre DeGlasse. * In the morning, you will leave the female barracks and assemble in the oval roll-call room you saw on the way here. That is where you will be debriefed. For now, when you are awoken, you will have ten seconds to prepare yourself."

Several gasps at the small amount of time come from around the room, most recruits sitting on their beds.

"Don't pity yourself too much," Miss Fiero snaps. "The recruits in the male barracks only have three seconds. I am giving you seven seconds less sleep than they have, but I decided that for you, it might be worth it. It is lights-out now. I want no noise!"

The lights go out except for the rectangle that is the door, outlining Miss Fiero's outline. "I suggest you do not stay up thinking. You will need all the sleep you can get." Then, the door shuts, and Kasmeer is left in the pitch-black.

After a moment, Catava's voice whispers in her ear, "It's alright, I've got a sound carrying enchantment in place and a barrier."

"Great," Kasmeer mumbles under her breath.

"Yeah, just talk under your breath like that," Catava informs her. "Most of my energy is in the sound carrying, not blocking. And it's hard to do two opposites at once and in such proximity."

There is silence for a moment as the two try to figure out what to say.

"That was sudden," Kasmeer says eventually. "Just being knocked out like that. I feel... naked without my weapons. Vulnerable. And it's just ten times worse knowing Beorn isn't here to defend me if I need it. It's going to take some getting used to, being Kasmeer. Especially since Kai - my partner - knows the real Kasmeer."

"Oh, that's rough," Catava says sympathetically. Changing topics, she asks, "I saw you watching the bears earlier. Want to share some thoughts?"

"I was wondering where bears go when they die. At least sentient ones," Kasmeer admits.

"Where will _we_ go when we die?" Catava asks pointedly. "I mean, have you uncovered anything about Jesus in all your lore-searching before we came here?"

"No," Tiffany admits. "I've been wondering about that a lot recently, too."

Catava, being a lot less informed about the Six in Tyria, offers her thoughts. "I was thinking maybe God has a different system here. What with magic and ley-lines and all. Maybe he manifested himself as the Six, here?"

"The Bible says there's no other gods but him - the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost," Kasmeer counters.

"But, you know," Catava says, lowering her voice embarrassedly, "that makes no sense. Logically, I mean. Hear me out. There is one God - but three? Does that make any sense? It makes sense on earth, sure, even though I can't explain it."

"I know," Kasmeer agrees. Then, her eyes light up. "Maybe that's what he did with the Six. On earth there's three of him, in Tyria there's six. And because it's a different system here, they're more defined in realms of... power, I suppose. Before you suggested that, I was thinking perhaps God's prophets - because didn't they have power? - but that didn't explain people going blind when they saw the Six. Only God does that, except for when Jesus was on the earth."

"But, you know..." Catava frowns. "In the human creation tutorial, it said something about how the Six have left us."

"Right," Kasmeer recalls. "They left, and it was called the Exodus. Haha. That's where the year thirteen twenty-five comes from. Thirteen hundred twenty-five years since the Exodus. And they came to Tyria in the first place from the Artesian Waters in Orr, drawn by the power here. Or so the records say."

"Maybe he came from earth and visited here?" Catava supposes. "I mean, however long he was here for, it's not nearly as long as a time in earth time. God could easily have come here as the Six for who cares how long, and returned to earth as the Trinity, and nobody would notice. Plus the fact that He is outside of time. And the whole 'different systems' thing."

"So I wonder what that means for us?" Kasmeer wonders. "I mean, we _were_ on earth, but now we're in Tyria... does that mean He affects us as the Six or as the Trinity? Does it count that Jesus died for us, now we're here?"

"As you said, the rules are different in Tyria. We know how it works plenty well from earth, but how do our sins get forgiven here?" Catava points out.

"Maybe Jesus - or whoever it is here - hasn't come to die for Tyrians yet," Kasmeer suggests. "It is only thirteen twenty-five... even though there are ten thousand recorded years _before_ the Exodus. But the rules are different here."

"Why don't we pray?" Catava suggests. "If we don't get an answer, we'll know we're entirely subject to Tyrian rules, and if we do, we can ask Him."

"That's an excellent idea," Tiffany agrees. "And if we both get different answers, we'll know Satan's playing a trick on us. Maybe all of Tyria is a hallucination."

Catava laughs, before cutting the enchantments. Both girls fall quiet, silently agreeing to discuss their answers - or lack thereof - the first chance they get.

* * *

Kasmeer is awoken the next morning by being drenched in ice-cold water. She rolls off the upper bunk in shock, but two seconds after hitting the floor she is dry again. She glares at the elementalist in the doorway.

"Wake up!" Miss Fiero snaps. "You have ten seconds to be marching out that door!"

Kasmeer pulls one of her multicolored ponytail holders off her wrist, tying her hair out of the way while she shoves her feet in her shoes.

A firey three is hovering in the air above Miss Fiero's head, so Kasmeer runs out the door and into the large oval room she had passed on her way into the female barracks last night, Catava on her heels.

Seeing a double row of recruits standing at attention, she joins them, Catava being hustled into standing across from her as the other female recruits hurry into place.

She raises an eyebrow at Catava, and receives a smile in return. She grins back.

Three seconds later, a diminutive man with a fur-lined coat saunters in from the opposite direction, holding a greatsword. He appears to scan the line of recruits, perhaps looking for something.

Further along the line, closer to the man who just walked in, an identical clones of the man whispers in a late-teenagish boy's (wasn't he the one that she had seen with Miss Fiero yesterday?) ear, who seems to almost jump a foot in the air. When the clones dissolves into butterflies (an unnecessary side effect, Fiona had always said) the young man looks at them interestedly, mumbling under his breath. Several other clones appear whispering at others, too.

Then, the man strides to the middle of both lines of recruits and spins on his heel. Kasmeer notices a white, fluffy fox following him.

The older man (he had also been with Miss Fiero yesterday) with a mustache whispers something to younger. The younger one smiles nervously.

"Would you like to repeat that a little louder, kitten?" asks the man with the fox. And then two clones appear beside him. "Well?" he asks when he is received with silence.

"Nothing," the recruit says calmly, remaining at attention.

"No, please," one of the mesmer's clones retorts. "You were saying?"

"He didn't say no-nothing," the younger recruit stammers.

The older one jabs him in the ribs. "Yes, I did," he replies loudly. "I _said_ , are we supposed to be scared of you, sirrah Seraph?"

"Oh, aren't you?" asks the other clone. Kasmeer sees Catava wince.

The real mesmer jabs his sword into the ground, sending a force wave into both recruits, sending them into the wall (which also has lockers in it). The younger recruit, who ended up flat on the floor, pulls his arms over his head.

The other wound up inside an open locker. He laughs sarcastically. "Based on the butterflies, I'd have to say necromancer." His voice is almost literally dripping with sarcasm. Catava snorts silently.

"Off your kittens!" the mesmer bellows at them. "Fall in line!"

After making sure that everyone is, indeed, in line, the Seraph trainer (he can't be anyone else, with that attitude) barks, "My name is Pierre le Comte le Coocolbeure DeGlasse. Sir Mesmer DeGlasse Sir to you kittens!"

He strides up the double row of recruits, twirling his sword. He snaps his fingers, and the little white fox, whom Kasmeer had forgotten about for the moment, leaps into his arms. "This is my familiar, Phantasmal Mr. Fox." Catava smiles in amusement. "And our job is to turn the lot of you kittens into battle-ready Seraph. Some of you will soon be shipped out to forward outposts to protect our good citzens from centaurs. Others will remain in Divinity's Reach, patrolling the streets and keeping the peace. But, no matter where in Tyria you find yourself, one thing is for certain."

He raises his sword, another clone appears, arms flailing so as to make itself as big as possible, and hurtles down the narrow row of recruits.

Kasmeer and Catava smoothly step out of the way of the flailing sword, returning to their positions as soon as possible. Most of the other recruits stumble backwards the moment the clone appears, while others drop to the floor. The ones who don't get sharply smacked by the flat of the blade, leaving bruises.

DeGlasse clears his throat. "You'll have to learn to duck and roll."

The recruits are then put through a rigorous morning of exercise. Without any breakfast, either, although Kasmeer reasons that if the Seraph are short rations the recruits should be used to going without.

* * *

Breakfast is served an hour later, which is a runny gruel.

Catava grimaces at Kasmeer, who is normally a picky eater, but Kasmeer returns a shrug. She hadn't had any dinner last night, either, being 'kidnapped' before she'd had any, and so she is hungry enough to eat anything.

Kasmeer is one of the few who actually get to eat much, as she simply drinks her bowl empty in a few seconds, grimacing at the thick, grainy substance, before DeGlasse and his clones shout them out of the dining hall.

' _Maybe she'll learn there are worse things to eat,_ ' Catava thinks amusedly, as she and Kasmeer are hustled out.

Even more exercises of the sort they had had before breakfast are ordered. Kasmeer is glad that she's been in Tyria for several months already - if she'd been forced to do this right after coming here she wouldn't have made it half an hour.

DeGlasse instructed them to do hylek jumps, skale crawls, norn carries ("does that mean we carry a norn?" one recruit had demanded at one point), skritt dashes and a race where you carry your partner around, that DeGlasse calls 'haul the drunks around the battlements and slop them in the moat', all the while Phantasmal Mr Fox chases around anyone who lags.

By noon, every recruit is dripping wet with pond scum.

"Well, my bedraggled kittens," DeGlasse says to the recruits. Kasmeer is _really_ getting tired of the word 'kitten'. ' _And I like kittens, too! Imagine if Tangwen heard him using the word in such a vulgar manner!_ ' "Some of yah may have heard of something called profession. Which clearly none of of you have. Aiight?"

Kasmeer and Catava tiredly chorus "No, sir, mesmer DeGlasse, SIR!" with the rest of the recruits, knowing that backtalk will likely not be received well.

"You don't just wake up one day and say, 'I think I'll be a ranger, or elementalist, or a guardian.' And for sure not a mesmer." Kasmeer smiles for wherever Catava is, shoved into line somewhere they can't see each other. She is actually only the next recruit down, with Kai between them. "You must have something called aptitude. Aiight?"

"Yes, sir, mesmer DeGlasse, SIR!"

"And just how do I know that you kittens have aptitude? Any guesses? Don't I get a sly remark from Mr. Dominick Garret? You're too kittenshit now, eh?"

Kasmeer glances at the man who'd made a spectacle that morning. She files away the man's name in her vast name-storage mental system, which Catava could tell anyone is quite vast... at least for Tyrian people.

"Then I'll tell you," the mesmer says, having received silence from the recruits. "I'll test you for aptitude, and assign you a profession whether you like it or not. You're stuck with it. Aiight?"

"Yes, sir, mesmer DeGlasse, SIR!"

DeGlasse pets his fox, who is curled up in his arms. Kasmeer wonders if the fox is an illusion. If so, Catava can learn something from this guy. _'I hope she doesn't miss the mesmer test on account of holding our disguises. Don't wear yourself out, Catava._ '

"I shall be assisted today with your class assignments by my assistant, Ms. Atalanta Fiero, who is helping you get your testing over with today, which is more than you kittens deserve."

Kasmeer looks in the direction of a door opening, to see Miss Fiero come out. Now that Kasmeer isn't so shocked as the first time, she notices the elementalist is wearing a dress of flame.

"Eyes front!" DeGlasse snaps. "Listen up, kittens. I won't have none of you staring. Now I want you to count off by twos, starting with Mr. Dominick over here. Ones with me, twos with Ms. Fiero over yonder, and she's Ma'am, Miss Fiero MA'AM to you kittens!"

Dominick Garret shouts "one!" and breaks formation to stand where DeGlasse had motioned. The recruit next to him - his friend - shouts "Two!" and jogs over to Miss Fiero, who says "Greetings, recruit." He seems disgruntled for some reason.

By the time the counting off gets to Kasmeer, all of the other line had finished.

"One!" she says, going over to stand by DeGlasse. Kai, next to her, shouts "two!", and Catava, who Kasmeer now sees behind Kai, continues "one!" and comes to stand by Kasmeer.

The recruits are handed pieces of parchment printed in New Krytan, clearly and simply.

Seraph Recruit Professions:

1\. Heavy Armor - Guardian, Warrior

2\. Light Armor - Mesmer, Elementalist, Necromancer

3 - Medium Armor - Thief, Ranger, Fail

' _No engineer?_ ' Kasmeer wonders. ' _I mean, leaving out Revenant is_ too _obvious, but why no engineers? And what happens to those who get a fail?_ '

Suddenly, Kasmeer feels as if large pebbles have been thrown violently in her face. She can tell they are illusionary, but they hurt just the same. She reels back a step, biting back her surprised 'ow!'

Catava reels back in shock, loudly hollering 'yeee!' and clapping a hand to her face where the illusionary pebbles hit her. ' _I'm a mesmer, light armor, low pain tolerance, remember?_ ' she tells herself in a grumbly tone.

Most others at least take a step back as Kasmeer had, but a few stand firm.

On Kasmeer's parchment, an illusionary dark line crosses out warrior and guardian from her list. So that's how it's done. _'Well, I won't get any line through ranger if I can help it. And if I do? I won't._ '

DeGlasse then leads them into another large room with tables, but instead of eating, a parchment and paper, along with a pencil, appear in front of them. A written exam.

Kasmeer sighs and reads through the questions all at least once. Some of the ranger questions that she can't answer, like, 'what are the strengths and weaknesses of fernhound pets?' she winces at, before thinking up the most reasonable explanation. She would rather be close than no answer. She suddenly goes back to the top and writes her name, quickly scribbling through the 'Ti' that she'd written, and writing 'Kasmeer Inafit'.

Some of the other questions stump her, but she answers as best she can.

\- What is the ideal level of spite for a minion necromancer? _The level that makes the enemy give up their lifeforce._

\- What ingredients are required to make omnomberry bars? _Omnomberries,_

\- What is the maximum range of a shortbow? _Around 300_

\- How much mithril ore is required for an earring hook? _A couple lumps_

\- When and where will the Claw of Jormag next appear? _It is a dragon thing. Nobody but Jormag knows._

\- What is the most effective way to neutralize a horde of 4+ centaurs? _An arrow rain to confuse them, followed by a whirlwind of axes, at best decapitating them, at worst wounding them so they bleed to death._

\- You are about to die. What do you do? _Hide and wait for the enemy to forget you. Heal while you wait. Then shoot them one by one with arrows._

\- What is the first thing you do when outnumbered? _Call for backup before dodging their weapons and distracting them until help gets there. Or just dodge and attack._

\- Who most inspires you?

After some thought (anyone could inspire me!) she writes down _Captain Logan Thackeray_. Looking at that answer, she sighs at herself. ' _What? I'm in Seraph training, who else?_

The ranger questions she answers with enthusiasm, however.

\- What is the most effective way to communicate with wild animals? _Speak to them in their language. If you can't manage that, keep your tone soft and soothing. If that doesn't work, they're already attacking you and you should run away from being a ranger._

\- What do you do when the enemy is too close to use a longbow any more? _Stow the bow and stab with the arrows, if you have nothing else. Or else have a backup of axes or swords or daggers._

\- How do you tame a young wild animal into a pet? _Talk to it for a few minutes, before giving it a proper name. Pick it up and cuddle with it for a while. Put it down and walk away, glancing back with an inviting look. When it follows you, you've succeeded. Keeping it is more difficult._

\- What is the empathic bond? _A mental, emotional bond between you and your ranger companion. It must be begun at a very young age by both ranger and animal, for mental flexibility. The more you pool your energy for healing and the more you use the bond to communicate, the stronger it gets. Both ranger and companion need this bond to thrive._

\- What is the difference between an animal companion and a pet? _A ranger's animal companion has been with them for as long as they can remember, and share the empathic bond. A pet is a tamed animal without the empathic bond who is still loyal to the ranger. Connections are still shared with a tamed animal, but are more practical than emotional, and do not cause feelings of attachment._

There are many others, and Kasmeer answers all of them to the best of her ability.

When DeGlasse snaps, "Time's up!" she glances through her paper one last time before it vanishes, summoned to DeGlasse's desk in his office for reading later.

* * *

The rest of the afteroon consists of more tests.

First comes what Kasmeer can tell is a thief test - sneak up to and pick-pocket a Seraph volunteer dressed as a wealthy target, in a field that is illusioned to look like a city street.

Kasmeer doesn't do too well on that one, and DeGlasse can't decide whether to mark thief off the parchment. He settles for an underline.

The necromancer test is a wreck. Apparently some Von Ffeldy had had an extreme allergic reaction to the necromantic magic, and the bone minions had all escaped. DeGlasse told the medic to send him up to his office when he was awoken.

The elementalist test Kasmeer fails dismally.

"I'm supposed to do what?"

"Imagine fire burning that tree," Miss Atalanta Fiero sighs. "Push magic into the belief that fire is burning the tree."

Kasmeer stares at the elementalist. Then she closes her eyes and imagines fire burning the tree. She does have a rather vivid imagination. But when she tries to push magic into it, she doesn't know how.

"How do I push my magic into it if I can't feel my magic?" she asks.

Miss Fiero sighs and crosses off both elementalist and mesmer. After a moment of consideration, looking at the overline DeGlasse had put on her necromancer test, she adds a strike through that as well, leaving ranger and thief, which has an underline.

At the mesmer test, Kasmeer watches Catava excel, cloning herself twice, rather than the once required. DeGlasse seems extra happy that the illusions don't mimick her like copies like the rest of the mesmer recruits' do.

"Can you do the undoable and make another one?" DeGlasse queries.

"I've always attempted the unattemptable," Catava replies, not missing a beat and cloning herself again. Now there are four Catavas.

"Good. You'll be assigned mesmer at the ceremony tomorrow," DeGlasse informs her. "Alright, recruits, time for the ranger test!"

Kasmeer's eyes light up hopefully. ' _If I fail this I'll beat myself over the head with my own bow... if I ever get it back from whoever took it._ '

* * *

The ranger test takes place within a paddock with a brown bear inside. The recruits who hadn't yet received their assignments go in, one by one. The bear seems disinterested, tired, and rather wilted, and the test is perhaps harder than it should have been.

Kasmeer is last in line, and as she waits nervously ' _Bears! Why is it always bears? If I see another bear I don't know what I'll do! I might just fail this test on account of something to do with bears. Particularly brown bears that look like Beorn._ '

Only one or two potential rangers get the bear to not attack them (in a non-lethal manner, but still) or not attack it themselves, and in those cases, the bear sits quietly while the recruit talks to them softly, in tones none of the other recruits can hear.

Kasmeer is almost shivering with anxiety. She firmly pushes away the urge to open her connection. ' _Or else maybe I'll succeed so good they force me to take another bear as a pet!_ '

Entering the paddock, she makes no sudden moves and simply sits down in the middle. After a minute, the bear approaches her on padded feet. Kasmeer firmly leaves the dead connection to Beorn alone.

On the other side of the paddock, Catava - Kasmeer almost misses her because of how different they both look - is watching her anxiously.

"Hello, brown bear," she says to the bear who is next to her. "Are you alright? You seem tired."

The bear lets out a sad whine and shuffles closer.

"Are you sad?" she asks, still in the soft tone. Thinking about Beorn makes her sad, as well. "I know how it is to be sad."

The two remain in silence for a moment. The bear lets out an interested-sounding noise, still tinged with sadness. Kasmeer wonders what he is sad about.

"You want to know more?" Kasmeer queries. The bear looks at her for a moment before nodding, almost uncertainly. Kasmeer blinks. ' _The bear nodded?_ ' But she starts talking. "I know bears like identifying people by their smell. You want to smell me?" she holds out her hand, palm down for the bear to sniff.

The bear looks at her curiously for a moment, before nosing her palm. Then the bear looks up at her, a startled look in his eyes. He steps closer to her and starts sniffing her more, all over.

Kasmeer waits patiently for him to finish. "Isn't sniffing my hand enough?" she asks, in a slightly joking tone. The tone is everything, especially for wild bears. This one doesn't seem to be wild, however, simply very enthusiastic at times.

He is making excited, huffy noises. He almost pushes her over several times, but Kasmeer has played like this with Beorn, and knows how to hold herself against it properly.

"Hey you, kitten!" DeGlasse hollers. "Is that kitten of a bear frightening you?"

Kasmeer feels an odd defensivness of the bear rise in her, but she quashes it down. ' _I am not going to backtalk to DeGlasse, and I am not going to endear this bear any more to me._ '

"I'm fine, sir!" she hollers back. "I'm just waiting the unwaitable until he's done sniffing me!"

DeGlasse gives a firm nod.

The bear is now running circles around Kasmeer, making his huffy noises. Suddenly he plonks himself down in front of her and stares hard at her. Kasmeer, sitting cross-legged, leans forward. Her hair, which had fallen out of it's ponytail much earlier, swings over her shoulder. Glancing down at it, she sees it flicker from Kasmeer's red to Tiffany's brown, and back.

Looking at Catava, she sees her almost hanging over the paddock watching the two of them. Catava had seen the color shift, too, and in Kasmeer's eyes. The whole illusion had flickered for a brief instant. Catava regains control of the illusion.

The bear huffs loudly at Kasmeer, who returns her attention to him.

Kasmeer sighs at the bear. "What's the matter?" she shakes her head roughly, getting rid of the idea to check the connection again.

He huffs again, with the trace of a whine. A low growl starts in the back of his throat. Kasmeer's ears twitch involuntarily. She thought he liked her.

Her eyes firm and she carefully pushes back the urge to open the connection.

The growl gets louder, and Kasmeer leans back slightly. ' _If Beorn were here he could talk to this bear and maybe figure out what is going on._ ' "What's the matter?" she asks, injecting a soothing tone into her voice, drowning out the unnerved tinge and unconsciously suppressing the urge to check the connection.

The growl gets softer for a moment before getting louder. Then it stops altogether, and the bear pads forward and puts his head in her lap, looking up at her.

"This kitten is the last tester, you all go back to your barracks," she hears DeGlasse order.

Catava hurries back to her barracks, but she leaves a veiled clone for her to look through the eyes of once she is alone.

Kasmeer strokes the bear's head, sighing and wishing for Beorn. Her hand takes the familiar path along the bear's fur, petting him the way she used to pet Beorn. She scratches behind his ears and smooths the fur back into place, where it is all crazily rumpled.

"You're just excited to be done with recruits coming and badgering you all day, is that it?" she asks the bear.

The bear harrumphs, and huffs at her.

"No, then?" Kasmeer answers. "I know you're excited, no denying that. But I don't know what you're excited _about_."

The bear whines and sniffs at her.

"My sense of smell is literally non-existent," she informs the bear. "Well, I suppose not anymore," she continues in an undertone.

Catava's clone is in the paddock, but the bear doesn't see it or smell it, because it is just a visual illusion. Catava herself is looking through the clone's eyes.

The bear sniffs at her again, whining as he does so. Kasmeer firmly ignores the connection to Beorn, instead focusing on the bear in front of her. "But it's still a human sense of smell," she tells the bear. "I can't smell you the way you can smell me."

The bear sniffs again, before grumbling at her, bear-like. He seems disbelieving of what he smells.

"Maybe you've met me before?" Kasmeer queries.

The bear looks at her as if she is stupid. Catava suppresses a laugh.

"So that's a yes. I don't know very many bears," Kasmeer tells the bear conversationally. "And even fewer, I think, would recognize my scent. But you obviously do."

The bear huffs in a long-suffering way, rolling over.

"So, what bears do I know that would recognize my scent, not to mention want me to sniff them?" Kasmeer queries.

"Beorn would have," Catava says quietly. "But..."

"Yes, yes I know," Kasmeer says wearily. "I... I don't want to talk about it... it's too painful."

The bear looks at Catava suspiciously, before padding over and sniffing her.

"It's an illusion," Kasmeer tells the bear. "So you can't smell it."

The bear huffs at Catava anyway, as if suggesting something.

"He wants you to say it again," Kasmeer informs Catava.

"Okaay..." Catava answers, a bit unnerved. "I said, 'Beorn would have, but...'"

The bear gets excited upon hearing the name Beorn.

"Stop," Kasmeer says with a sigh. "I said I wouldn't open the connection. It's too painful."

The bear looks at her, head cocked, for a moment, before his ears droop. He pads over to her and puts his head in her lap again. Catava moves closer.

The bear whines pleadingly, just looking at her. She looks back. He huffs at her, the same way he had huffed at Catava.

"I said, 'Stop. I said I wouldn't open the connection. It's too painful.'"

The bear nods at her, huffing again.

"You want me to open the connection," Kasmeer says flatly. The bear nods again, almost eagerly. "I can't." Kasmeer explains. "The emptiness hurts too much. Beorn..."

The bear grumbles at her, sniffing and whining some more.

"Why do you want me to open it, anyway?" Kasmeer asks irritably. "It's no use. Beorn is... Beorn is dead." she closes her eyes and lets out a sigh.

The bear lets out an angry harrumph.

"Do it anyway?" Kasmeer asks him, heaving a great sigh. "I can't. I... the emptiness..."

The bear looks at her like she is stupid. Again.

Catava giggles. Kasmeer glares at her. "Stop that," she complains halfheartedly.

The bear pushes at her with his nose. Tiffany's ears twitch and she firmly says "No." aloud. "I... I can't."

The bear huffs at her, and pokes her again. He harrumphs and glares at her.

Kasmeer can't help a tiny smile. "You are gonna be the death of me."

The bear's ears flatten and he snarls under his breath.

Not noticing it, Kasmeer continues softly, "I don't want another bear. I can't. Do you understand? I can't open the connection for the same reason. The emptiness hurts too much. But I can't fill it with something. That would just be... insulting."

The bear huffs again, and looks at Catava pleadingly.

Catava sighs. "Maybe you should try," she says as gently as possible. "Just a little bit. You can close it back up again right away."

"Now you're on his side," Kasmeer grumbles.

The bear whines pleadingly, poking her again.

"F-fine," Kasmeer agrees finally, looking between the two of them. She closes her eyes tight.

Catava watches her, wondering what the bear does want. Why would he care about Kasmeer's connection? How did he know what they were talking about when they mentioned it?

Suddenly the bear gets excited, huffing at Kasmeer some more.

A moment later Kasmeer's eyes pop open and she looks at the bear, saying, " _Beorn!?"_

* * *

 _The Author's Notes for this chapter are non-existent._


	22. Chapter 22: A Bear's Experiences

SOLDIERS, SCHOLARS, AND SPIES

* * *

Summary: Beorn's perspective of the last week. And no, the last chapter was not a prank chapter like chapter 12 was.

* * *

Chapter twenty-two: A Bear's Experiences

* * *

 _Author's Notes:_

Alright, here we go.

I loved that cliffie, didn't you? Didn't you? If you read the summary of this chapter, you know what's coming.

I hope I did a good job with the last chapter. I also hope I did a good job with this chapter.

If you are reading this chapter before Monday, then you are lucky. As is everyone else. Because that can only mean one thing - I wrote this chapter in two hours. Plus little snatches of time on my phone. But... here it is.

Oh, you're reading it today. Unexpected me.

 _ **Okay, here's the story now:**_

* * *

Tiffany's face shows her disbelief, and her mouth drops open slightly as she realizes there is nothing she can do.

"You - you can't," she whispers in disbelief.

"Can't I?" DeLana inquires. "Can't I? I'm doing it right now!" she throws her head back and laughs, long and loudly.

The Separatists holding Beorn move forward, forming a triangle between them, Tiffany, and DeLana. The rest of the Separatists gather back in a group again, roughly binding the Queen. The Queen and her captors, Beorn and his captors, Tiffany, and DeLana form a square.

Beorn notices a glowing purple circle appear beneath him, like the sort Fiona uses sometimes. He glances at Tiffany, but just then the world flickers, and he is somewhere else entirely.

* * *

It happens again. The landscape changes many, many times. Beorn is getting lightheaded from the constant portaling.

* * *

The moment the portaling stops, he attacks the first person he sees - a man (mesmer, he conjured the portal), who smells of fear, but he is quickly locked in an illusionary cage. A moment later, a Separatist appears out of another portal.

"You may go back to your home. Tell no one of this," the Separatist orders fiercely.

"Y-yes sir," the man whimpers, before portaling away. The cage disappears when he does, and Beorn leaps at the Separatist. But this one is a mesmer too, and locks him up again.

"Listen here, mister bear. Beorn, right?" he snarls vehemently.

Beorn doesn't respond.

"I like my peace as well as the next man, and I realized how foolish the Separatist cause is when your companion was talking to Captain DeLana earlier. But I don't care about you, and I don't care about the Hero of Shaemoor. She's not the Hero of Ascalon, and I don't owe her anything. I couldn't hate her more, in fact. What she has done to Ascalon! Your companion is vile, Beorn. _Vile._ "

Beorn lays his ears back and snarls at the human.

"I brought you out of there so that the Queen wouldn't die and the Separatists wouldn't gain control. I left a mesmer's weapon by the queen, but your ranger companion is dead. The moment you disappeared, I know DeLana attacked. She's dead now. And I'm keeping you alive so you can grieve your way to your grave." she laughs evilly.

Beorn looks at the Separatist evenly, not showing any emotion. Inside, he is ramming against the empathic connection with all his might, trying to push through. The Separatist spoke so convincingly he can't help but believe him. But he doesn't show it. He glares back at the Separatist defiantly.

"Ah, you don't believe me, do you?" the Separatist queries. "Your ranger's body will be delivered as soon as my friend and accomplice can send it back. Oh, here it is."

A portal appears on the stone floor, and Tiffany's prone corpse pops out of it before the portal disappears.

Beorn tries to get to her, but the illusionary cage prevents him from getting close enough even to smell her. He pushes his whole mind through the empathic connection, but her end is dead.

He lets out a howl of misery, and agony, before another portal appears, taking the body away.

"I sent her body to Orr to be reanimated by Zhaitan," the mesmer cackles. "Hopefully she will face you in battle someday."

An illusionary window appears in thin air, showing the dead land of Orr. Beorn knows it from Tiffany description from the game. A portal appears, leaving Tiffany's body behind. A horde of Risen swarm the body, and the illusionary window disappears.

The mesmer portals away, leaving Beorn lost in shock. He stuffs his whole mind down the connection to Tiffany, trying to get to her, to find her in there _somewhere_... but it is no use.

He slumps to the floor. It happened all so suddenly, and he can't take it in. The cage had disappeared, but there is no exit from the room - cave, really. It had been made to portal into and out of, a real cage. And all he has is physical force. And that is not enough, not when dealing with mesmers.

Several hours later, a portal opens and Tiffany steps out, Fiona behind her. He bounds over to Tiffany, but is pushed back by a force wave from Fiona, before Tiffany dissolves into the Separatist, and Fiona shatters. Illusions.

All illusions. Why? ' _Tiffany!_ ' he howls mentally. ' _Tiffany, why are you dead? I couldn't save you, that's why. I should have died before letting you die. You probably didn't move when you saw me portaled away, knowing I was probably still held somewhere at sword-point. You're too noble! Too noble for your own good! Oh, Tiffany!_ '

For a few days, Beorn remains in the room. He is regularly given food by the lone Separatist, but he sees no one else except mocking illusions of Tiffany. Tiffany cursing him for not being there when she needed help, Tiffany informing him that she likes another one of her companions better, Tiffany asking why she would ever feel attached to _him_ , he's just a useless old _bear_ anyway. Not like an intelligent human, oh no. Even if he is more sentient than most other bears - well, who cares? After an hour of this he firmly shuts up his connection to Tiffany, vowing not to open it while the illusion is filling his head with the rotten stuff.

The illusionary Tiffany remains in the room every day, coming up with new taunts, torturing his mind. They continue as he sleeps, penetrating his mind subconsciously and infecting his beliefs.

* * *

After three days, he is portaled to another unknown location, still inside a large cave, mostly empty but for five people. The cave is more open, and sunlight streams in from the cave entrance. It smells strongly of ettins. Even the humans must smell it, and it continually puts Beorn on edge.

The taunting form of Tiffany is still there, and he is put back behind illusionary bars at the darkest end of the cave. He decides that the area has been mesmerically silenced, as the humans sleep near him without noticing the taunting racket that the illusionary Tiffany puts up. He suppresses the urge to open his connection.

' _Why us? According to Tiffany's memories of 'Guild Wars 2' if she hadn't been an interfering-with-the-course-of-history person, she'd be fine. She'd be alive._ '

* * *

He is kept there for another two days, the illusionary Tiffany still penetrating his mind as he sleeps or when he tries to ignore her. He occasionally wonders what would happen to him if he was a normal bear.

Suddenly, in the middle of the afternoon, when the other humans are taking naps, the illusionary Tiffany disappears mid-sentence, as does the illusionary cage, and, apparently, the silencing enchantment. One of the humans wakes up, but Beorn jumps on him, sitting on his chest.

The human almost faints in terror. Beorn snarls at him. ' _Why did the illusions disappear_?' that is the most pressing concern at the moment.

The human must have had a trace of ranger affinity, or maybe he was curious about the same thing, for he instantly begins babbling. He is also scared as a fish. "He went to Godslost Swamp I don't know what happened to him maybe something killed him maybe he got distracted - "

Beorn huffs and whacks him on the head with one of his paws, knocking the man unconscious.

Beorn leaves the cave in a hurry. Once five minutes out, however, he slows to a walk, head drooping. Getting away from the fomer Separatist's gang, not being a caged up, and, most of all, not hearing that _stuff_ from illusionary Tiffany, had been his highest priority. But now, with Tiffany dead, he doesn't know what to do with himself.

There are oakhearts around, but they are leaving him alone.

He wanders around disconsolately, until something knocks him over from the side. It turns out to be a net. A Seraph-uniformed man approaches and stands over him. Beorn whimpers, trying to convey his grief over Tiffany's death. Does anyone else care?

The Seraph looks down at him, and Beorn whimpers again. The uniformed hunter undoes the net, seeming sympathetic. Beorn looks at him, still too distraught over Tiffany's death to do anything or go anywhere, or even really be afraid.

"I suppose you're a tame one," the Seraph tells Beorn.

Beorn nods slowly.

"Oh, a ranger's companion, at that!" the Seraph laughs.

Beorn whimpers pitifully again. ' _She's dead, can't anyone understand she's dead?_ '

"Aw, what's the matter?" the Seraph asks. "Come with me."

Beorn pads after the man slowly, for lack of anything else to do.

They don't go far. The man brings him back to the tiny Seraph camp just south of where Beorn was before.

"What happened?" one of the Seraph at the camp queries, seeing Beorn padding along in a docile manner. At least, docile compared to other bears.

"I think he's a ranger's companion, Sergeant. He was wandering out lost over by Greatheart Weald, and I brought him here. He seems sad."

"Why don't you bring him to Claypool?" the Segeant suggests. "I haven't received any new orders in a while, you can check for new information there, too."

"Yes, sir," the Seraph replies, saluting.

* * *

Captain Lindel, at Claypool, informs the soldier that DeGlasse, back in Divinity's Reach, has requested a tame-ish animal be caught and sent to him, like normal, every third week.

"You think this one would do?" the Seraph queries.

"Oh, certainly. He seems tamer than normal."

"I was thinking he was a ranger's companion."

Beorn huffs. ' _I'm right here, you know. Just because I can't speak your language doesn't mean I'm not sentient, particularly if I_ am _a ranger's companion._ '

"I can send him out with the next caravan," the Captain of Claypool says.

"Sergeant Elmder wanted to know if there were any new orders, Captain," the soldier continues nervously.

Beorn stops paying attention, as it doesn't concern him.

The absence of Tiffany's mind on the other side of the link is resounding. Now that the taunting illusion of Tiffany is gone, he pries it open and once more assaults the dead end of Tiffany's connection.

* * *

Later that day, he is sent with a pack bull and it's Seraph guard to Divinity's Reach, with one soldier in particular watching Beorn, and assigned to take him to DeGlasse. Beorn just follows him around absentmindedly.

The next day, Thursday, a Seraph referred to as DeGlasse takes him to a rather roomy paddock and left alone. There is another paddock nearby, with another bear in it.

It is very gloomy the rest of the day, and all the next day, too.

* * *

On Saturday, he supposes he'll be left alone all of that day, too. And it certainly seems so.

He realizes that today marks one week since Tiffany died. Tiffany, his lifelong companion. The one who gained memories from another world just a couple months ago, and since had been altering the course history would have taken. That Tiffany. His charge. She is slightly younger than him, and he had taken charge of her when she was only about two.

At around noon, about ten people approach the other bear's paddock, and he listens interestedly to the tall, dark-skinned woman (who seems like an elementalist) explain the ranger test.

Beorn mentally winces at some of the blunders the other bear makes, and wonders what is going to happen to him.

After a long while, the group leaves. A little later, the bear is taken away.

Later on in the evening, a separate group approaches. Beorn doesn't really care. The Seraph recruits - he'd learned that from listening to the other group - try and do their best to talk to him, but he just swipes a paw at them in what could be construed as a threatening gesture, and most of them leave after that.

Some of the recruits don't back off, but sit next to him talking. He doesn't really care. Tiffany is dead. He pushes into the connection again, trying to find her. She isn't there. Her end is dead. Like normal.

When the last recruit comes in, a gray-eyed, red-haired, stern-looking woman about Tiffany's age, she doesn't do anything. She simply sits in the center of the floor.

Beorn keeps poking at the connection a little bit, before getting up and padding over to the woman.

"Hello, brown bear," she tells him. "Are you alright? You seem tired."

' _No, not tired. Sad_.' Beorn makes a little whining sound in his throat. Her voice sounds familiar.

"Are you sad?" she pauses for a moment. "I know how it is to be sad."

She seems sad herself. Beorn makes another noise, wondering.

"You want to know more?" the redhead asks him. Beorn nods slowly, a gesture he'd learned from Tiffany and her family. The gray eyes blink, as if in surprise. "I know bears like identifying people by their smell. You want to smell me?" she offers her hand.

Beorn looks at her for a moment, wondering. Most people don't offer their hand on their own. Beorn obediently sniffs her palm.

 _'Tiffany! She smells like Tiffany!_ ' Beorn steps forward and starts sniffing her all over. ' _It's Tiffany! It certainly is Tiffany! She's alive! I can't believe it!_ '

"Isn't sniffing my hand enough?" she jokes.

' _She acts like Tiffany, too!_ ' Beorn pants excitedly and keeps sniffing her. She holds herself the same way and doesn't fall when he almost pushes her over.

"Hey you, kitten!" the Seraph - DeGlasse - shouts. "Is that kitten of a bear frightening you?"

' _Oh, so I'm a kitten, am I? I wonder if Tiffany thinks that?_ ' Beorn wonders. The illusionary Tiffany had done more damage than he realizes.

"I'm fine, sir!" Tiffany shouts to DeGlasse. "I'm just waiting the unwaitable until he's done sniffing me!"

' _That sounds like she's just tolerating me. No, no. Tiffany's not like that. Waiting the unwaitable sounds like a secret code,_ ' Beorn thinks to himself. ' _The sort Tiffany would use. At least from her crazy memories of earth. I can't believe she's still alive! Still alive!._ ' he begins running circles around her, sniffing her.

Tiffany doesn't seem to be reacting to him. ' _Don't you know me? This is entirely too bad if you are Tiffany and you don't know me. What if you do know me, and you're just torturing me like this?_ '

He sits down in front of her and stares at her. ' _It doesn't look like Tiffany. But it sure smells like her. Maybe she stole Tiffany's clothes, and has a similar scent to begin with. That would make more sense._ '

Tiffany - or not? - leans forward as well, her red hair swinging over her shoulder. Then it flickers to brown. Her eyes flash brown rather than gray. Her face looks like Tiffany rather than this persona she's put on. But it all reverts in a moment. He huffs at her.

"What's the matter?" she asks.

She doesn't look natural like this. It's messing with his senses, smelling Tiffany and seeing somebody completely different. He presses into the connection, knowing for _sure_ it's Tiffany now. Her end is still dead, but he realizes she's walled it off herself, like he had done with that awful illusion taunting him.

She shakes her head violently, and the connection firms against his touch.

He huffs at her again, with a little bit of whininess. ' _Why can't she just open it? She'd know it was me, then. Maybe she doesn't like me. Why doesn't she know it's me to begin with? Didn't she see that portal take me away? Maybe she arranged that? No. No, Tiffany's not like that._ ' he growls at her just slightly, and pushes at the connection again.

Her ears twitch unconsciously, and her eyes wonder 'why?' "What's the matter?" she asks again. ' _That ear-twitch is Tiffany, too! It has to be Tiffany, not too many people have that ear-twitch. But the things the Separatist told me?_ '

The connection pushes him back just slightly. ' _What? Pushed me back?'_ He snarls at her in frustration. She leans back slightly. ' _Please, Tiffany. Please._ ' He tries some more, growling more quietly. It firmly pushes him back. He growls louder at her.

' _What if she thinks I'm dead? That Separatist obviously showed me illusions of her dead body - I didn't smell anything, which is how illusions work - and so he could easily have made it look like I'm dead. In that case, Tiffany is alive. This awesome! I can't believe it!'_

He cuts off his growl, and he pads forward and puts his head in her lap.

"This kitten is the last tester, you all go to your barracks," DeGlasse orders.

' _Hey, if I'm a kitten, she certainly is not!_ ' Beorn huffs.

But Tiffany doesn't seem to mind. She strokes his head like normal, as if nothing has happened. She seems to be absently looking into the distance. She smooths his rumpled fur - she used to do this before the Separatists, but nobody'd done it since then.

"You're just excited to be done with recruits coming and badgering you all day, is that it?" she asks him.

Beorn sighs at her. ' _No, no, no, that's not it at all. Why can't you just open your connection? There's certainly_ someone _on the other end. Maybe it isn't really Tiffany? But it has to be! She got my hopes up!_ '

"No, then?" Tiffany asks him.

' _She's still so good at reading me, even without the connection,_ ' Beorn notes with pride.

"I know you're excited, no denying that. But I don't know what you're excited _about_."

Beorn whines at her. ' _Can't she see? Can't she figure it out?_ ' he huffs at her, sniffing her again. ' _Why don't you at least try for the connection._ '

"My sense of smell is literally non-existent," she tells him.

' _Only on earth,_ ' he reminds her mentally. ' _Maybe she isn't Tiffany. But she sure looked like Tiffany when the illusion flickered._ '

"Well, I suppose not anymore," she mumbles.

Beorn sniffs at her again, whining some more. He pushes at the connection again. It bounces him back promptly. ' _Is she doing it consciously? Or maybe it isn't her?_ '

"But it's still a human sense of smell," she tells him. "I can't smell you the way you can smell me."

' _No, the connection, Tiffany! Just open it!_ ' Beorn sniffs her again. ' _It really can't be anyone_ but _Tiffany. This is awesome. I've spent the last_ week _thinking Tiffany is dead, and here she is! Alive and smelling proper, too! I can't believe it! This is awesome._ '

"Maybe you've met me before?" Tiffany asks him.

Beorn resists the urge to fall over laughing. ' _Maybe I've met Tiffany before. Ha! But, she does honestly wonder that. Can't she tell I'm not your average bear?'_

"So that's a yes," Tiffany decides. "I don't know very many bears," she says, almost conversationally. "And even fewer, I think, would recognize my scent. But you obviously do."

' _Yes. How does that need to be said? It's so obvious it doesn't need to be said how obvious it is._ ' Beorn rolls over, frustrated at Tiffany.

"So, what bears do I know that would recognize my scent, not to mention want me to sniff them?" she continues speculatively.

"Beorn would have," says Fiona's voice behind him. "But..."

"Yes, yes I know," Tiffany says with a sigh. "I... I don't want to talk about it... it's too painful."

' _So she does think I'm dead,_ ' Beorn realizes. ' _What to do now. I'll go see if it is Fiona - how could I not smell her?'_

Turning around, he sees a blonde, green-eyed girl standing there. ' _Well, Tiffany looks different,_ ' Beorn reasons. ' _Smell will decide it._ ' He goes over and sniffs her. Nothing.

"It's an illusion," Tiffany explains. "So you can't smell it."

' _Can_ you _tell Tiffany to open her connection? Or at least realize I'm Beorn first?_ '

"He wants you to say it again," Tiffany says.

"Okaay..." Fiona's voice coming from the illusion (that has no smell and doesn't look like her) sounds odd. "I said, 'Beorn would have, but...'"

Beorn, trying to make them understand, harrumphs at them, trying to convey the fact that the word 'Beorn' applies to _him_. ' _Unless there's another Beorn?_ '

"Stop," Tiffany says fitfully. "I said I wouldn't open the connection. It's too painful."

Beorn pads over to Tiffany and puts his head in her lap again, ears drooping. He whines at her again. He huffs. ' _Just open the connection. Connection! The empathic bond!_ '

"I said, 'stop. I said I wouldn't open the connection. It's too painful.'" Tiffany recites.

Beorns nods at her, huffing some more. A small corner of his mind says, ' _Too painful because of me, or too painful because I'm dead?_ '

"You want me to open the connection," Tiffany asks dryly.

' _Yes! Yes yes yes! And now I'm sounding like a skritt, but still!_ ' Beorn nods eagerly.

"I can't."

' _Why not?_ '

"The emptiness hurts too much. Beorn..."

Beorn grumbles at her. ' _Just realize who I am already. Open the connection! I never knew recognizing a lifelong companion was so_ hard _!_ ' he sniffs her some more, whining.

"Why do you want me to open it, anyway?"

' _So that you can realize it's me._ '

"It's no use. Beorn is... Beorn is dead." she sighs.

' _No, I am not!_ ' Beorn harrumphs at her indignantly. ' _If I were dead - if I were dead! You need to get your head on straight. Open. The. Connection._ '

"Do it anyway?"

 _'Yes. Can't you feel your lifelong companion banging on the entrance to your mind? Certainly Mordremoth wouldn't_ ever _get to you, if you just so happened to be sylvari._ '

"I can't. I... the emptiness..."

' _And it's not. Really. Empty!_ ' Beorn hollers at the block in the connection.

Fiona's voice giggles out of the illusion.

"Stop that," Tiffany complains halfheartedly.

' _Tiffany to the core. Now open. The. Connection!_ ' he pushes at her with his nose.

"No."

' _Tiffany, I'm warning you..._ '

"I... I can't."

Beorn huffs again, poking her. He harrumphs and glares at her.

"You are gonna be the death of me."

 _'Yeah, and guess what, I thought I_ was _the death of you for a whole week straight, so stop that._ ' Beorn snarls grumpily to himself.

"I don't want another bear. I can't. Do you understand?"

 _'Yes, but not when the 'another bear' is me._ '

"I can't open the connection for the same reason. The emptiness hurts too much."

 _' There is no emptiness. How will you know when you've never even tried?_ '

"But I can't fill it with something. That would just be... insulting."

' _So you think I'm trying to replace Beorn, do you?_ ' Beorn wonders. ' _At least you have your priorities on what to do in that circumstance straight. But it's not happening.'_ he huffs at Fiona. ' _Can't you convince her?_ '

"Maybe you should try," Fiona says gently.

' _At least you're showing more sense than Tiffany_ ,' Beorn grumbles to himself.

"Just a little bit. You can close it up again right away."

' _And she won't ever, because she'll realize I'm here,_ ' Beorn thinks happily. He whines at her pleadingly and pokes her again.

"F-fine," Tiffany agrees hesitantly. She shuts her eyes tight.

The connection quavers, and Beorn pushes up close to it, intending to block it from closing if she tries. She must be going slowly. Beorn huffs at her, getting excited.

The connection opens, and Beorn pushes through the rest of the way, pouring emotions and feelings into her, all traces of doubt about it really being Tiffany swept away.

"Beorn?" she asks out loud, staring at him in awe.

* * *

 _Author's Notes:_

There is no way the empathic bond is developed enough for Beorn to convey all this through there, so I gave you this version.

It's a shorter chapter, but that's what you get for making me write it in two - sorry, four (I skipped my GW2 time) hours. Normally I take a day or two to write it. And I didn't have that defined an idea of what happened to Beorn half the time, too.

If you are interested, he was first taken to the Brisban Wildlands using a network of mesmer portals, normal citizens paid to use a portal to deliver a bear to another location. After that he was moved to the cave just northeast of The Heartwoods in Queensdale.

Tiffany and Beorn were never able to reach each other with the connection because they were always too far away. I've been dropping hints throughout the last chapters like CRAZY, and carefully not editing them at all so you wouldn't think I cheated.

And I had the worst time convincing real-life Fiona that I had no idea how to do a loophole around Beorn's death. 'Re-read chapter 29, please, find a way for it to work... I'm torturing my people! Why must I do this!' because I can't give her spoilers either. But now it's over.

And now I have to wait for her to read this. She's still on chapter 32, and I'm _waiting_ on her...

Oh, Beorn! I've been trembling with exitement for these last two chapters for EVER.

Eehahaha!


	23. Chapter 23: The Capture of Fieuzz

SOLDIERS, SCHOLARS, AND SPIES

* * *

Summary: The aftermath of Beorn's revealing, the chat through the night and all the next morning, the profession-assignment ceremony, and Fieuzz'z capture. Kasmeer and Catava resume their real identities temporarily. Ties in with the end of ' _The Engineer and the Ingénu_ '.

* * *

Chapter twenty-three: The Capture of Fieuzz

* * *

 _Author's Notes:_

I forgot to mention in the last couple chapters that Von Ffeldy, Dominick Garret, Kai Karkasonne, Atalanta Fiero, and (in this chapter) Johan are not my characters, but Icarus Isambard's, same as with Fieuzz and Pierre DeGlasse. You really should check out ' _The Engineer and the Ingénu_ ', the story that contains these characters. I personally think I did a rather good job paralleling this story with that.

On the other hand, Johan's last name (Leng), and Anil Topuz, Tate Reisdorf, Loris Capaldo, Ado Iwai, Nadia Lettieri, Fulvia Santini (who is not related to Mat and Ayla Sartini), Ebru Kountz, Ibu May, and Enrico Pickard are all characters thought up by me.

 _ **Okay, here's the story now:**_

* * *

The illusions veiling the Heros of Shaemoor's identity shatter as Fiona loses control through shock.

Beorn starts, surprised, and takes a step back, uncertain and wounded feelings slipping through the connection as he sees Tiffany - the same person who'd belittled him and called him an idiot for several days straight - before reminding himself that this is Tiffany, not fake-illusion Tiffany.

Fiona manages a hold on her clone with Tiffany and Beorn, but she returns her senses to herself to make sure she hadn't dropped her own identity as well. Restructuring it, glad no one had seen her, she returns her attention to her clone. It had been a simple visual trick, but now she changes it to herself (rather than Catava) and develops it physically, a true deception rather than a simple visual misleading.

Tiffany and Beorn are still staring into each others eyes, sharing feelings and emotions, mainly of joy and relief, as each had thought the other dead.

Fiona keeps a sharp look out for anyone approaching, as their disguises are down.

Tiffany and Beorn remain like that for a long time, but after a while, Tiffany turns to Fiona, awe in her face.

"This might be the answer to my prayer!" she whispers. "Last night, we talked about God's... manifestation… in Tyria? And then we prayed?"

Fiona nods slowly, realization Dawning.

"And subconsciously - or something - you'd anyway been praying. But He waited until we'd acknowledged Him in Tyria!"

"My thoughts exactly." Tiffany beams. "And I didn't even pray that last night, but it shows that we aren't subject to Tyria's rules - at least partway - because the Six don't answer prayers."

Fiona nods happily. Then, thinking of something, she queries, "does Beorn want me to play an illusion of his… supposed death?"

"We'll have to come to you, won't we?" Tiffany checks, accordingly accepting the suggestion.

"Yep. I'm in the female barracks." the clone disappears.

On the way there, Tiffany shares her experiences of the last few days with Beorn through the link, which had grown quite a bit through the pair's efforts to contact each other through the last week. Alongside the other emotions, curiosity is there, at the side, wondering at the reason behind Beorn's startled flinching when the illusion unraveled.

* * *

Catava is sitting on her bed, L-C, when Tiffany and Beorn arrive. She quickly reinstates Tiffany to Kasmeer Inafit status, and Beorn communicates amused feelings over the choice of name for Kasmeer.

"How do we disguise Beorn?" Catava wonders.

Kasmeer frowns. "I should go talk to DeGlasse anyway, shouldn't I? To see if I've passed the ranger test?"

"Should we tell him you'd… lost him? And found him again?"

Kasmeer sighs. "Probably not. I have no idea what's going to happen. I'll just wait and see. You stay here and do... things." she suppresses a tiny giggle at the last phrase. Catava looks at her oddly, but Kasmeer shrugs it off. "Well, I'll go talk to him. Any idea where his office is?"

"It's one of the doors down the hall. Just follow the hallway it lets into until you come to some stairs, and head straight up."

"Alright," Kasmeer nods, turning and leaving the bunkroom.

Following Fiona's directions, she finds herself in front of a rather large door, slightly decorated but otherwise quite plain. She tentatively knocks on the door.

No answer.

She knocks again.

And again, no answer.

After a moment of indecision, recalling all of Deborah and Captain Thackeray's - ' _Wait, wait! Seraph training atmosphere is rubbing off on me!_ ' - warnings about DeGlasse's severity, she opens the door an inch and peeks in.

The average-sized office is empty. Kasmeer shuts the door quickly and turns around to leave.

At the foot of the stairs, however, DeGlasse rounds the corner ahead of her, swinging his sword like normal. Kasmeer freezes.

"Miss Inafit, right?" DeGlasse demands in his normal training-voice.

"Sir, yes, sir," Kasmeer replies, saluting.

"Looking for me, eh, kitten?" he queries sharply.

"Sir, yes, sir."

"What kittening for, kitten? Never mind. Come up to my kittening office and we'll see."

Kasmeer nods uncertainly. ' _Really? I just walked up and down those stairs already._ ' She gets sympathetic feelings from Beorn. But she follows DeGlasse anyway.

"I see you've tamed the untameable," DeGlasse says, after seating himself behind his desk, and motioning Kasmeer to do the same.

"It's easy enough to speak the unspoken and hear the unheard," Kasmeer counters.

DeGlasse leans back. "So, Tiffany Tassof, Hero of Shaemoor, Initiate of the Order, aka Kasmeer Inafit, Seraph recruit?"

"Sir, yes, sir," Kasmeer replies.

"One question - have you been fully initiated?"

"No, sir. The people at the Chantry simply started addressing me as Initiate."

"So, unofficial Initiation then," DeGlasse nods to himself. Then he looks at Kasmeer and the bear next to her sharply. "Captain Logan informed me that a certain Kasmeer Inafit, ranger, would be attending my class."

Kasmeer nods, uncertain of how to reply. His use of the word 'kitten', prominent throughout the rest of the day, is noticably absent now.

"He also informed me that Kasmeer Inafit, ranger, had lost her animal companion recently."

A cloud passes over Kasmeer's face as she recalls the last week of misery.

DeGlasse goes on, not waiting for an interruption. "From what I know of rangers - and I've trained quite a few - a ranger's companion is the only being who understands them fully, and the two share an empathic bond."

"Sir, yes, sir."

"And yet, you seem inexplicably attached to this bear, already." DeGlasse observes. "The Seraph who brought him in said he'd been acting like a ranger's companion, already, but he seems quite attached to you. Tell me, is it normal to switch companionship so quickly like that?"

"No, sir," Kasmeer replies, a tad nervously. "The empathic bond is a soul-deep thing, and lifelong. I have not known any rangers... " Kasmeer stops for a moment, before continuing with a slight wince. "I have not known any rangers to find another companion even after the other died." ' _Sorry, Rox. But he might ask who._ '

"So how do you explain this?" DeGlasse queries, gesturing at the bonded pair.

Getting feelings along the lines of ' _it doesn't really matter, you can tell him_ ' from Beorn, she explains the situation to DeGlasse.

"A mesmer was involved, sir. It was an illusion that Beorn died. I do not know why or how, but he believed me dead, as well. I get the feeling that the same mesmer was involved." Kasmeer simply leaves it at that.

"Well, that explains it," DeGlasse mumbles to himself, before looking at Kasmeer. "What tale should I spin for the other recruits about the bear? It is customary, at the ceremony, to present assigned rangers with an animal to at least become pet-level, if not bonded companion."

"When is the ceremony, sir?" Kasmeer asks.

"Tomorrow at noon," DeGlasse replies promptly.

"It would take that long to get caught up with each other," Kasmeer answers, startled. "How important is the ceremony?"

"Not very," DeGlasse admits.

"Could F - " Kasmeer bites off the name. "Could Catava create an illusion of me at the ceremony?"

DeGlassse nods thoughtfully. "That would work. It would be better than me doing it, as she could simulate your mannerisms better. And I could control the illusion of the bear. However, if you can, get to the ceremony as soon as possible. It is a milestone in the Seraph Training Academy."

Kasmeer nods gratefully. "Thank you, sir. But that still begs the question of how to disguise Beorn."

"Catava Anoif - and don't think I haven't deciphered your names, by the way - could keep him veiled while others are around."

"That would work," Kasmeer agrees. "Thank you again, sir."

"Don't think my... leniency... will continue outside this room, kitten," DeGlasse says sternly. "I am your ferocious trainer, after all. Dismissed."

Kasmeer and Beorn immediately leave the office, and they head back to the female barracks.

* * *

Kasmeer climbs into her bunk, U-K, and Beorn settles at the foot of it, Kasmeer sitting next to him. Catava, on L-C, just a bed down the row and across, is within easy sight.

After the both of them are settled, the wall across from the bonded pair, above bunk D, swirls in a lot of colors before resolving into a scene that Kasmeer knows well.

As the memory of Beorn's death replays, feelings and emotions bounce across the empathic link, firming the resolve of both to not take any more risks than were necessary.

After the memory is done being played, however, the two have no way to communicate to the other what happened to them, as the empathic bond is not developed enough for memories and/or thoughts.

But Kasmeer talks to Beorn aloud, and the feelings she gets helps her to know whether she is on the right track, and hints and clues. When she had told DeGlasse earlier that the same mesmer was involved in both deceptions, Beorn had sent affirmative feelings through the link.

Kasmeer easily relates the last week of experiences to Beorn, as he understands Tyrian (rather than, say, bear-talk). It does take a while, however.

Partway through, Catava receives a letter from Sieran. "She wants me at the Feral Dens, in very northern Kryta - I'd assume Harathi Hinterlands - to study the skritt. Tomorrow afternoon."

"What's happening tomorrow, though?" Kasmeer queries. " I can't cover for you on that, I'm not a mesmer."

"DeGlasse, though. He knows that I've got Priory connections..."

"What's the use of taking training if we won't be there for it? I swore I'd make myself better when Beorn 'died', that hasn't changed just because I found he's alive. It very well could have been real. Tyria's real, and we didn't know it until we came."

"Kasmeer," Catava says gently. "We'll talk to DeGlasse about it and see what happens. This is the Order of Whispers we're talking about."

Kasmeer sighs. "Okay. If there's nothing planned for the afternoon I'll come with you."

Kasmeer resumes telling Beorn about the sisters' week, (while Catava writes a reply to Sieran) but not long after, lights-out is called and the other female recruits come into the bunkroom. Catava quickly veils Beorn's presence and the two disguised heros pretend to be in the middle of a conversation, to keep up the bluff that they are just getting to know each other.

Kasmeer trades a couple words with Kai Karkasonne absentmindedly, and she and Beorn keep communicating as best they can trhough the bond until everyone else is asleep.

After a bit Catava does her sound-trick thing again, and Kasmeer can safely speak aloud, checking that Beorn understands what she'd been saying through the bond.

Quite soon, however, the door opens softly. Beorn vanishes, veiled by Catava's magic, and Kasmeer flops over onto her pillow. Being halfway down the row of bunks, the person at the door doesn't notice.

She seems to be speaking to somebody else, who sounds like Miss Fiero, before the person enters the room and starts doing things. Kasmeer can't see what is going on, but, in the outline of the doorway, the person seems to be putting a several heavy things on the floor, that should make loud thumps. But they don't.

' _They're probably padded by air, Fiero is an elementalist,_ ' Kasmeer reasons. Beorn sends mesmer-feelings to Kasmeer, and she nods. The person could be a mesmer, muting the sounds.

After a short while, the person approaches Kasmeer's bunk and places a non-thumping thing on the floor on Kasmeer's side of the set of bunks (left side), before continuing down the row. Pretty soon, the person leaves.

Catava unveils Beorn again, and Kasmeer sits up, looking over the edge of her upper bunk to see what the person had put there. Unable to see it in the oh-so-dim light, she slips out of bed to inspect it. It is a large cage-like thing, like a dog carrier, only way bigger than normal. Kasmeer supposes that most newly-tamed animals would need to be kept in such a thing, but she decides that, if this is the only option, Beorn could always just sleep on the foot of her bunk.

Climbing back into her bunk, she informs Beorn and Catava of what she found, before resuming her tale.

Beorn's side of the story takes much longer, understandably. He communicates mesmer and clones easily enough, but mostly it's really hard.

The empathic link grows slightly, as a result of straining it so hard, and the two can now communicate very _vague_ ideas and concepts to each other.

* * *

After a long while, wake-up is called, and Kasmeer wearily stumbles out of her bunk, Beorn veiled by Catava again. Kasmeer tells Beorn to stay in the bunkroom and not let anyone see him. Such commands are much easier to go into the specifics of through the empathic link, as they are the sort she uses all the time.

DeGlasse holds inspection again, and nobody makes much of a fuss like the guy (Dominick, right?) did yesterday. Dominick's friend, however, is not present.

"Aiight, you kittens," DeGlasse says sharply. "At noon today the kittening ceremony will be held, informing the kittening public about you kittens kittening future professions in the kittening Seraph ranks."

Kasmeer notices Kai get even more stern-faced than normal (if that is possible) at the redundant over-use of the k-word.

"Until noon today, I will be telling you about the kittening details so you kittens don't make kittening fools of your kittening selves at the kittening ceremony. You'll also need to brush up some so you kittens are actually kittening presentable for said kittening ceremony." Here, DeGlasse darts a sharp look at Dominick, who, given the latest pronouncement, seems rather unkempt.

Kasmeer glances at Catava, itching to get back to Beorn. Catava inclines her head slightly, and Kasmeer slips away, veiled and an illusion in her place.

When the veiling comes undone, in the female bunkroom, a clone of Catava is there as well, but only showing semi-awareness, as if staring into space.

Beorn begins unraveling his side of the story some more. The next parts are very confusing, what with the portaling, the illusions _dis_ appearing, and Beorn's escape, followed by Seraph finding him. This takes most of the morning.

Then, the two quietly discuss the last week, as well as they can through the growing empathic link, until they have exhausted things to talk about.

* * *

When they slip outside again, Catava's clone points them to the ceremony, scouting ahead for anyone who might be wandering the halls.

Halfway there, Catava's clone says, as if just thinking of it, "Great. The _actual_ ceremony's started now."

"Anything happen?"

"Logan took a long time getting here," Catava replies. "DeGlasse is behaving uncharacteristically meek around Logan, you know. And it's unnerving, calling Logan Captain Thackeray again. Not quite so, though."

"Ohh that makes more sense now." Catava nods. "Well, after all that, the ceremony is finally starting. I'll veil you, unless you want to make a dramatic entrance?"

"No, I don't," Kasmeer replies decidedly. She informs Beorn - with a tinge of world-bounding delight that he's _alive_ \- to hover next to the illusion of him until DeGlasse's illusion and Catava's veiling magic both disappear. Once they get to where the ceremony is being held, of course, which they haven't done yet.

Catava says, with a touch of humour, "apparently there's a visiting asuran official - Assistant to the Assistant of some Supreme Councilor - and she seems small."

Kasmeer tries to keep in her laughter (honestly, she does!) but bursts out laughing a moment later. "She seems small!" she hoots. "Catava, she's an _asura_!"

"Whatever," Catava rolls her eyes.

"Whatever you. Why'd you mention her, anyway?" Kasmeer queries.

"She's wearing a hood and seems to be trying to be unobtrusive, is all. I thought it was rather interesting."

Kasmeer shrugs.

* * *

A couple minutes later, Kasmeer and Beorn arrive near the entrance to where the ceremony is being held. Catava veils the both of them, and Kasmeer goes and stands inside of the illusion of her, before Catava releases the illusion.

Beorn - Kasmeer knows where he is because of the empathic link - is standing next to the illusionary bear next to a table with various trinkets on it. Next to Beorn and the illusion there is another bear, two moas and a drake. Beorn informs her that they are all sedated.

The line of recruits is arranged in height order, shortest to tallest, and so Kasmeer finds herself near the middle on the short end, with Catava a few people ahead of her. Turning her head surreptitiously, she glances along the line behind her, and is not very surprised to see Kai at the very end of the line, being the tallest. DeGlasse is calling out names and assigning them their professions.

"Dominick Garret" is a thief, and "Anil Topuz" is a necromancer.

Eventually, DeGlasse calls out, "Catava Anoif!"

Following the example of the other recruits already called, Catava goes on to the stage, where she is handed a mesmer's mask while DeGlasse proclaims mesmer to the audience, which claps politely, even though they have no idea who Catava Anoif is.

A "Tate Reisdorf" is proclaimed an elementalist, and "Loris Capaldo" is a ranger - DeGlasse blows a whistle and the moa from beside the table approaches the nervous ranger.

Then it is Kasmeer's turn, and when her name is called ("Kasmeer Inafit!")she gets up on the stage like all the others. DeGlasse proclaims 'ranger' and the illusion of Beorn pads over to her, the real Beorn right beside it. After, Kasmeer steps down off the other side of the stage with the other already-assigned recruits.

"Ado Iwai" is called, and assigned warrior, and then "Johan Leng" who gets ranger. "Von Ffeldy" is assigned engineer - _'but there wasn't an engineer test?_ ' Kasmeer wonders - but he is not handed anything that Kasmeer remembers from the character creation of engineer - all the others had been handed things that went with what she remembers from that - rather, the Seraph doing the handing-out glance at each other nervously, until an asura wearing a hood approaches the stage and hands him a small pistol, before accompanying him off the stage. The crowd claps respectfully. Kasmeer notes that the two talk in a corner for a bit.

"Nadia Lettieri" becomes a guardian, and "Fulvia Santini" is another ranger. "Ebru Kountz" is a mesmer, "Ibu May" is ranger, "Enrico Pickard" is a necromancer, and lastly, "Kai Karkasonne" is a guardian.

Now the whole group of recruits is standing on the other side of the stage, and several conversations have sprung up. Kai goes over to talk to the engineer - Von Ffeldy - with the asura and the thief, Dominick Garret, and even Miss Fiero joins them.

Kasmeer is jostled to the side by an over-eager ranger with a drake, and is just in time to catch the last few words from the odd group.

" - If I stand here any longer," the asura declares in a rather high-pitched voice, "I'll turn into a sobbing, sentimental charr." Kasmeer trades an amused look with Catava before the asura pulls out a red-and-gold bottle, tosses some odd liquid over herself, and disappears.

Kasmeer is dumbfounded. The group continues their conversation as if nothing had happened, and it is a moment or so before Kasmeer recovers enough to ask, "what was that? The asura just - just disappeared!"

"That," the engineer replies, "was Elixir S."

' _I vaguely remember something about elixirs... I can't remember a single thing about them, though. I think it was while I played Fiona's engineer once... maybe?'_ Kasmeer pushes the thoughts away. "What does it do?"

"Fie - er - the asura used it to go invisible," the engineer stammers, glancing around nervously.

Kasmeer changes topics. "I see. So, how are you the only engineer?"

"There aren't any engineers in the Seraph," he explains. "At least, not as a profession the way Atty's an elementalist and Dom is a thief, or Kai as a guardian. I know Chef Raspy is an engineer, but he's the head cook. F - er, - the asura is an engineer, too. I had some - special circumstances, kind of like Kai who was going to be a mesmer - so I'm an engineer now."

"Neat," Kasmeer mumbles absentmindedly. " _That asura seemed... off._ ' a nudge from Beorn helps her remember. (Beorn's illusion had vanished after DeGlasse noticed her acting not like an illusion.) _'Fie... engineer... asura... high-pitched voice - I have to go._ '

"I have to go," Catava says suddenly, echoing Kasmeer's thoughts. " **DeGlasse said the rest of the day is celebration, so I need to meet Sieran at the Durmand Priory.** "

"I'm with you, of course," Kasmeer says automatically. "Good-bye, mister engineer."

She is after Catava, sure that she figured out who the asura is, too.

But after a short while, Catava stops short. "How do we leave?"

"Right. We have no idea where Divinity's Reach is," Kasmeer realies.

"I do. Follow me," says the hooded asura, appearing next to them.

"Alright," Kasmeer replies, surprised. She glances at Catava, who nods, but follows the asura for a moment,

And the asura runs smack into a brick wall, conjured by Catava. It dissolves the moment after Fieuzz - for that is who is it - ran into it.

Beorn and Kasmeer put a pace or two between them, effectively preventing Fieuzz's escape in that direction, while another wall appears behind Catava, which moves with her as she approaches the stunned asura, narrowing the movement space.

"What do we do with her?"

"You have no authority to apprehend me!" Fieuzz snarls, regaining her senses. "I am armed and dangerous, and I shall call upon the Eternal Alchemy to carbonize your admittedly fragile human bodies, before I introduce you to my lethal PWNR - "

"Isn't that the that the device you yourself admitted had the lethality of a buzzing fly? That you handed to Von Ffeldy before leaving the ceremony?"

Fieuzz blinks.

"And the Eternal Alchemy is what the asura believe makes up the world, not a deitific power that you can call upon to destroy us," Kasmeer inserts.

"My golem will - " the angry asura starts again.

"I don't see a golem, and I know you're an engineer, and don't have access to mesmeric power. Does your Elixir S work on golems? I get the feeling they would malfunction if they came in contact with it."

Fieuzz's mouth is moving, but no sound comes out. The two humans had successfully disproven her bluffs. After a moment, she rolls to the side, to where her bottle of Elixir S had fallen when she ran into the wall. Another wall, just her size, pops up instead, and Beorn brings the bottle to Kasmeer. She puts it inside of one of the loops that normally holds one of her axes.

"Bring her to the Vigil Keep or to the Seraph?" Catava asks.

"We're trying not to attract much attention while we're - you know," Kasmeer answers, referring to their disguises. "Can you keep that illusion of me and Beorn up and around while I bring her to the Keep?"

"I _can_ , but how will you bring her?"

" **No idea,** " Kasmeer says, in Shligni just for fun. "Why don't we turn her in to DeGlasse? **He knows who we are, as does Logan."**

"Alright."

Catava prevents Fieuzz from running away by surrounding her with invisible walls. The asura has no choice but to go along with them.

Once at the doors to the ceremony, Kasmeer suggests that they become the Heros of Shaemoor again, briefly. Catava nods and drops the disguises,

Tiffany and Fiona enter the room with Fieuzz kept prisoner. Silence - and whispers - ripple through the room slowly as the two make their way to where Captain Thackeray and DeGlasse are standing near each other.

"Where are their weapons?" "I don't see Hero Tiffany's bow." Tiffany glances at DeGlasse challengingly. ' _What Whispers member denies another Whispers member their weapons?_ '

"Logan, we have apprehended the asuran fugitive, Fieuzz," Fiona informs him. She seems more at ease than Tiffany, but then, she does have a staff. Somehow she'd always had it - perhaps she'd veiled the presence of another, and so when they were taken to the Seraph Academy, no one found it? Tiffany decides to ask Fiona about that.

"Captured the uncapturable, eh?" DeGlasse queries.

"She couldn't avoid the unavoidable," Tiffany chimes in,

"I'm glad you found her," Logan approves. "The asura gates can go up again. Wait, isn't this the asuran official who was visiting?"

"Does it matter?" Tiffany asks.

"No, not really," Logan nods.

"Hey!" Von Ffeldy says, pushing through the crowd.

Fieuzz glares at the recruit. "ETS 342, I will carbonize your liver if you make a sound."

Fiona raises an eyebrow at Tiffany, who shrugs. Ffeldy seems lost as well.

Several Seraph soldiers approach and take Fieuzz away.

"Should we go... make sure she doesn't escape?" Fiona asks uncertainly.

"That would be a good idea," Logan agrees.

"See you later, Captain," Fiona salutes. "Where will she be brough to?"

"Rata Sum. Since she was captured, the asura gates can reopen."

"Great!" Tiffany nods happily.

The two Heros leave the room. Fiona does not remove her mesmeric bonds on Fieuzz, even though the Seraph guards apply physical ones.

" **Alright, Fiona, where am I going to get a weapon from? I can't go around without my weapon! We should stop at the nearest weaponsmith and get me a decent bow and arrows, at least. And pick up some daggers - whatever condition they're in - to go with axes, and... why are you grinning like that?** "

" **I'll conjure a sword for you to use if we get in a fight.** " Fiona promises.

" **Wha - Fiona!** " Tiffany groans.

* * *

 _Author's Notes:_

How do you like it?


	24. Chapter 24: Rata Sum

SOLDIERS, SCHOLARS, AND SPIES

* * *

Summary: Tiffany leaves Fiona the job of ensure Fieuzz gets to Rata Sum, while she reports the success to her Order. Her Order is happy and sends her off with another mission. Then she returns to Rata Sum, talks with Zojja some, meets Taimi, and heads home to Divinity's Reach, where she excercises and expands the range of her bond with Beorn. She also discovers a very special book. She pops a _Harry Potter_ reference to Kai and Ffeldy, sharing secret smiles with Catava the while.

* * *

Chapter twenty-four: Rata Sum

* * *

 _Author's Notes:_

So, I may have forgot to warn you, but these are my family's vacation and extended family visiting times, meaning I'm low on time to write.

I'm going out on a limb naming this chapter _Rata Sum_ , as there are probably chapters to come that would love that name... oh well. I could name them _Asuran City/Capital/Racial Center_ or something like that.

However! I did post a chapter in my one-shots category entitled ' _Lightbringer Vriré_ ' and it chronicles Vriré's backstory and gives you an insight into her personality. You don't have to read it, but it would be advised.

Wow! I hit over a thousand views! (still only 31 _re_ views, though...) That is awesome! (EDIT FROM THE FUTURE: That is, over a thousand views on _Tyria's Real!?_ and _Soldiers, Scholars, and Spies_ put together.)

OH WOWOWOWOWOWOWOWOWOWOW I just got _Edge of Destiny_ and I - I can't speak! It's the best book in the _entire world!_ I used to think of Snaff dying like, 'oh, well, that didn't turn out too good, hm? And now none of them are friends much anymore!' but now I think... 'oh... no... _Snaff_!' He's so likeable, too! And he called Zojja dense! And he - he - he! Stuff! (and now I sound like a skritt, don't I?) But still!

And Snaff had - spoilers so I can't say it - _what the hay Zojja, where did they go?_ We could have _used_ those!

And I liked Snaff! What the heck Kralkatorrik? What the heck! (And I was right, Logan didn't really have any blame) And Zojja's reaction was more 'I'm angry and grieved and so I'm lashing out at everyone' than 'cold-anger-hatred you killed him you idiot!'

And Zojja and Snaff's relationship O_o the mentor/student, friends teasing each other, just - Snaff why did you go dieee

So in conclusion: Go buy _Edge of Destiny_ it's the best book in the world! And now I know everybody better... ahaha. Destiny's Edge, prepare for a shaking-up/forced friendship at my fanfiction-powered, what-if- _anything_ powered hand! Ahahaha.

Go. Get. That. Book. _NOW!_

Tiffany and Fiona will read it eventually - I'll not write it down here (copyrights...my account would get banned, and OUCH would that hurt o_o) but I'll include reactions and brisk summaries, and... whatnot. So go read it, if only to save yourself spoilers (liiike...Logan always did make a big deal about Sohothin. Hee.)

READ IT. It is the best book in the entire world.

 _ **Okay, here's the story now:**_

* * *

Leaving the Seraph Training Academy is the same as when they entered. They are spontaneously portaled out instead of knocked unconscious, but they find their weapons nearby. Fiona veils her previous weapon with strong enchantments, making it almost unfindable, before taking up her normal ones, confirming Tiffany's suspicion about _how_ Fiona had had a staff this whole time.

Bringing Fieuzz to the asura gate in Divinity's Reach grants them access, and when they arrive in Lion's Arch, all the asura gates are reactivated.

"Fiona, I'm going to inform General Almorra and Forgal that we captured Fieuzz. You stay with her and don't let her escape."

"Yes, Crusader!" Fiona mock-salutes.

Tiffany grins and waypoints while Fiona and Fieuzz, along with Fieuzz'z Seraph guards, go to Rata Sum.

* * *

Forgal is near the waypoint when Tiffany appears.

"Crusader!" he greets. "I didn't expect to see you here."

"I found Fieuzz," Tiffany replies innocently. "She's in Rata Sum as we speak, and carefully guarded by Fiona, along with several Seraph. Unless," she pauses, getting serious. "the asura gate malfunctioned. They have been known to do that, you know."

Forgal laughs at Tiffany's joke. "And you did it without me, too!" he says admiringly.

"It was luck, really. Me and Fiona ran into her at the Seraph Training Academy." Tiffany shrugs. "Anyway, want to go inform the General of our success?"

"Your success, I think you mean," Forgal responds.

"Oh," Tiffany answers airily, "I meant me, Fiona, and - whooee!" Tiffany jumps in the air, clapping her hands excitedly. A manic gleam is in her eye.

"...Crusader? Are you okay?"

"I'm better than okay, Forgal, I'm awesome! Better yet, so is Beorn!"

Forgal's eyes dart to where Beorn used to stand, and is pleased to see he is there. "Why, what happened?"

"A Separatist mesmer captured him. I didn't notice because, you know, _mesmer_. And we found each other yesterday. I'm still disbelieving of it. I think I'm in shock. I'll realize it eventually. It's probably also because it's just so surreal. I'd almost gotten used to him being... not there, you know? So it's odd, having him back. I'm kind of officially in Seraph training, now, so you're the first person to know about it. Besides Fiona, and, you know, _Beorn_. And probably Logan. He wasn't surprised to see Beorn. Probably DeGlasse told him. And speaking of DeGlasse, he knows too. And Kai. But Kai didn't know I'd _lost_ Beorn in the first place, so..."

"Kind of officially? You do like to ramble on, don't you?" Forgal queries with a twinkle in his eye.

"Oh, no - well, Fiona would gut me if she heard I said that. So, only when I'm excited. Which, sometimes, is most of the time."

"Sometimes is most of the time?" Forgal asks with a hint of humour. "Why don't we tell General Almorra of your success."

"Alright. Asura gates in Divinity's Reach and Lion's Arch are up - they went up when we went through with Fieuzz - so that's fine."

"Alright, Tiffany, come on," Forgal chuckles.

Inside the General's office, Forgal looks to Tiffany to tell the tale.

"Very good, Crusader." General Almorra commends her. "My only concern is that you left Fieuzz in the hands of somebody who is not a member of the Vigil. I assigned the mission to _you_ , Crusader."

Tiffany blinks. "General, she's my sister! And honestly, she's more Vigil than I am, even if she is a member of the Priory. And I'm more Priory than she is, even though I'm a member of the Vigil."

"She's a member of the Durmand Priory?" the General asks, surprised.

"I didn't mention that last time?" Tiffany asks to herself. "No, I guess I didn't..." ' _Wait, could this be my chance to promote inter-Order unity, to the head of one of those Orders rather than simply Crusader Hiroki?_ ' "With all due respect, ma'am, is that a problem?"

"The Durmand Priory and the Vigil have various... disagreements and different methods of doing things. We try to keep separate of each other."

"I'm certainly hoping you don't expect me to keep separate of my sister," Tiffany frowns. "I mean, 'some must fight so that all may be free', and does it matter who the fighters are, as long as they're fighting so that all may be free?"

Forgal looks at Tiffany in admiration. General Almorra seems surprised.

"You make a strong point, Crusader. But still the conundrum stands; are you sure that Fieuzz is, at this moment, bound and unable to get away, or at least in asuran Peacemakers' hands?"

"Well... no, General. But I have the fullest confidence in my sister. Fieuzz is bound by her...mesmery stuff, as well, and Fiona is one of the best mesmers."

"Forgal, can you attest to this, as well? I think you went on several missions with the pair?"

"Fiona is an excellent mesmer, ma'am, and I almost consider her one of the Vigil as well," Forgal answers reluctantly. "I am quite sure she could have been, had she decided to, as Crusader Tiffany pointed out. All of the more recent missions the two have undertaken together, yes, and Fiona has indeed surpassed Tiffany in some areas. I am not sure I would have objected to leaving Fieuzz with Fiona, had I been there, but for the propriety of the thing."

Almorra blinks at such a positive review. "Well, I did request the Peacemakers' department to notify me when Fieuzz was brought to them, so if your sister did succeed, I will be notified shortly. Crusader, if you would remain in the Keep until further notice?"

"Yes, General," Tiffany replies.

"Dismissed," the General informs them, and Tiffany and Forgal turn to leave the office. "Wait, Warmaster. I wish to speak with you on a separate matter."

Forgal turns back as Tiffany leaves the room. "Yes, General?"

"That girl has exceptional talent, and she has a good head on her shoulders, too," the General begins. "I must admit to some surprise when she used the motto of the Vigil against me."

Forgal cracks an uneasy smile, unsure where Almorra is going with this.

"I am seriously beginning to consider making her a Warmaster in her own right, but it is rather unprecedented, promoting a Crusader after only two missions. However, she needs to show aptitude for leading, as well, and while she is good at working with a team - her teaming up with her sister, Fiona, although she is not a member of the Vigil, not to mention her being a ranger - a Warmaster must also show leading ability."

Forgal's eyebrows had jumped upon hearing the news about promoting Tiffany, before nodding slowly. "Do you have anything in mind?"

"I was thinking of the dredge problem in the western Shiverpeaks, near the Durmand Priory. Crusader Thurkill, whom I assigned to that project, has been rather... uncooperative with the Priory in the area, which is only hindering his efforts." the General explains.

Forgal frowns. "There is one problem with that, General. Tiffany recently - when she thought her companion died - enrolled in the Seraph Training Academy. Just for the training, you understand, but it's a three-week long program, and she only started this week. I don't know how much off time she'll get, but it will be rather hard to get her away. I'm sure you've heard how brutal Seraph DeGlasse is."

"I've heard rumors, yes," General Almorra responds with a frown. "What about her sister?"

"As Tiffany is not going to become a Seraph after completeing the training, and what with her status as the Hero of Shaemoor, she is going anonymous while there. Her sister is maintaining a completely made-up persona for her, as well as enhancing her own mesmeric abilities, herself, with a similar disguise. I doubt that Tiffany will be swayed from her course of action, even though her companion was found to be alive, because what she thought had happened to him was very... realistic, which is why she believed it in the first place."

The General's frown deepens. "This is unprecedented. Previous obligations preventing Vigil work? Especially when said previous obligation was undertaken after becoming a Crusader of the Vigil?"

"General, her goal is to become better than she was." Forgal begins. "She hasn't undergone any _Vigil_ training, whereas most recruits are drilled through and through. Any Seraph training she misses can be supplemented for afterwards at Fort Marriner."

"Now, that's an idea worthy of a Vigil Warmaster, Forgal. And if her sister is maintaining an illusion anyway, she can just change it from cosmetic changes to an actual illusion, and nobody need realize that Crusader Tiffany is not there. Why don't you go and introduce the idea to your partner?"

Recognizing the dismissal, Forgal salutes and leaves the room.

Meanwhile, Tiffany had been familiarizing herself with the layout of the Vigil Keep, knowing that, if things don't change _too_ much, Risen will assault the Keep after the newly-forged Pact takes back - or doesn't lose in the first place - Claw Island. However, she doesn't learn much new that she didn't learn already from the game, besides how long it took her to get places.

Forgal finds her standing above the bridge that spans that channel, watching the courtyard just to her left with a slight frown on her face.

"Crusader?" Forgal calls as he appraoches.

"Yes?" she queries, looking up, previous expression wiped from her face.

"The General has another project for you, involving dredge in the Shiverpeaks. You'll be leading a group effort, Crusader."

"My Seraph training - " Tiffany starts with a slight frown.

"Have you seen Vigil training?" Forgal queries with a slight smile.

"Yes, at Fort Marriner," Tiffany confirms.

"Me and General Almorra thought that you could supplement any missed Seraph training with Vigil training - and if you're to be working in a group, Vigil training would actually be better, as it focuses on that aspect."

"Right, because in the Seraph, you're generally alone or with a partner, unless there's a big operation on."

"And your sister can maintain the illusion that you are there, so no one need know."

"But then she couldn't come with us," Tiffany frowns. After a moment of thought, she decides against letting Forgal know that she is also a Whispers Initiate and that DeGlasse would let her go - grudgingly, of course - anyway. She wonders how Forgal will react when she tells him. It is a foregone conclusion that he will find out sooner or later - probably at the forging of the Pact, roughly - and she hopes he doesn't find out by alternate methods. That is always how it turns out, in stories. Hidden information about oneself from one's partner = distrust from said partner when said partner finds out. Tiffany sighs. "Very well. When do I start?"

Just then, General Almorra approaches. "Crusader, I have received word that Fieuzz is, indeed, in the care of the Peacemakers. Congratulations. I assume Forgal has informed you of your new assignement?"

"Yes, General," Tiffany responds, saluting.

"Your squad will meet you near Snowblind waypoint in three days." General Almorra informs the Crusader. "Your job is to find Molevon Portage - a dredge mine - due east of Afgar's waypoint, and just a little way south from the Durmand Priory. I have heard disturbing reports from Crusader Thurkill about it, so find out what they are doing and stop them. If you and the Priory have trouble, as Crusader Thurkill has been, don't come to me, as that would only worsen the issue. Find a mediator - preferably a norn from Hoelbrak not affiliated with an Order, as the Shiverpeaks are generally considered norn land."

"Yes, General. The day after tomorrow, you said?" Tiffany checks.

"Yes, Crusader. And congratulations again on stopping Fieuzz before the asura took even more drastic measures."

"Thank you, General."

Almorra turns and leaves the area, heading back the way she came.

"Well, Crusader?" Forgal queries.

"It sounds neat," Tiffany observes. ' _Dredge... I feel I should know something about dredge causing trouble. Heh. Probably if I'd played a norn I'd know._ ' "Where do I go and what do I do when I need to supplement my Seraph training?"

"Fort Marriner. Just tell Warmaster Paulina Hornak that you are doing supplementary training, and she'll help you."

"Thanks, Forgal. Now, I think I should go find Fiona... somewhere. Probably in Rata Sum."

"You do that." Forgal tells her.

* * *

Tiffany smiles, before waypointing back to Lion's Arch and taking the asura gate to Rata Sum. Suddenly unsure of where to start, Tiffany asks a nearby asura if she'd seen her sister go through.

"Oh, yes. She went by a while ago. She told me to tell you that she was headed to the Durmand Priory to do something." the asura responds promptly

"Thank you," Tiffany responds. ' _Well, I'm in Rata Sum now, and I might as well stay here a while and make it worth the cost of the asura gate. It's useless looking for Fiona now, she's probably already on her mission, and I'll never find her and Sieran._ '

So Tiffany sets out to explore the city.

After a while of looking around Rata Sum, she find a small device for sale that measures the sun's position in the sky. It is formatted like an analog wristwatch, except instead of once around the face is twelve hours, it is twenty-four. Roughly. A horizontal line is drawn across the face of the watch, with an image of the sun rotating around the outer edge. The theory is that you are standing on the middle of the line, and that is represented by a large dot, and so when the sun is directly above your dot, it is noon, and directly below, the middle of the night, and at one end of the horizontal line, either dusk or dawn, with dawn being on the right side of the watch, for a clockwise rotation.

Tiffany is delighted by the find, and buys two.

"This is gonna be cool," Tiffany grins to herself.

"You seem rather happy," Zojja's voice says from behind her.

"Why shouldn't I be?" Tiffany queries, turning around to see the asura.

"Well, considering that the last time I saw you you were mourning your companion…"

"Oh!" Tiffany exclaims, realizing that Zojja does not know yet. "He wasn't really dead, just captured by Separatists," she explains, gesturing at the bear, who had been behind her. "And the distance was so great that the connection broke. But since we each thought the other dead... " She shrugs, before sending her feelings about Zojja to Beorn. He returns feelings of being appreciative to Zojja for attending his 'memorial', as well as accompanying Fiona to rescue Tiffany after she'd been kidnapped by the Separatists. "Beorn likes you," she tells Zojja. "we had a hard time catching up with each other on the last week, but the bond grew a little bit."

"The bond?" Zojja asks.

"It's… well, a ranger generally has a more open mind than most, already, being kind of empathetic and open to new ideas, not to mention being rather flexible in that regard. When that is coupled with distress and an attempt to fix it - generally being hurt - and there is an empathetic animal nearby, it forges a bond, through which emotions and feelings can be shared. It's very weak and unreliable at first, but add it's used and pushed to its maximum ability it grows and changes. The bond could also stay with the animal being the one hurt and the ranger tries to help them."

At the beginning of the long explanation, Tiffany had wondered if she were going too in-depth, but then she remembered that this was an asura she was speaking to. And Mr Sparkles is... humming, which Tiffany assumes means he is recording or something. Sure enough, Zojja aka for more information.

"You mentioned the bond grows and changes?"

"At first it's very, very vague - for example your can tell if the other is terrified, but not what about. What you can know is that it is a valid emotion, and not just pretense. But if you push at that, and try to understand, say, the why if the terror or something, the other would get a vaguely confused emotion, and have to try and guess what your confused about. If they get it right, then, say a centaur was attacking them. They could focus on the pain of any injuries, and terror and pain together make the obvious conclusion. So next time, they just remember to do both at once instead of wasting all this time. It's really hard to explain. But after the bond is developed - because at first it's hard to do it all complex, like both at once, and you have to focus. But it gets easier and the bond adapts to your usage pattern. All the rangers I know keep constant communication open, sharing every emotion, feeling, and whatever the bond has expanded to. This leads to companionship and connection, like when you're really good friends with someone. That is shown by rangers including their companion in conversation, mentioning them occasionally, and, as ranger c and companion are nearly always together, generally saying 'we' or 'me and Beorn' rather than 'I'."

"What about that empathetic thing you mentioned earlier?" Zojja asks with a slight frown.

"People with an affinity for being a ranger are generally very feeling people. They're not like the Soundless sylvari, who try to cut themselves off from the empathy the Dream provides, but rather they embrace it. It doesn't show very much, because they express it to their companions through the link, and their companions know exactly what they need to hear. But the emotion can get exaggerated that way, for example if the ranger gets angry at someone, and the companion is angry in the same way upon hearing about it. So once an emotion is expressed any, it either erupts - in the anger example, they might start shouting where normally they're mild and soft-spoken. On the other hand, they might only let it show a little bit, or even bottle it up completely. For people who aren't rangers, bottling up an intense emotion isn't good for you, but with rangers, it means they're sharing it with their companion. But anyway, just because they have a companion doesn't mean they aren't empathetic anymore - they still feel as intensely as they used to - you just don't see it as much. Rangers can also let it out through actions rather than the normal outlet - for example, rather then grieving about Beorn for a really long time, I could go wipe out the Separatists. Or I could spread the word about how important a companion is to a ranger, or why the Separatists don't make sense. And that would be due to the fact that I don't want anyone else to be hurt the same way. The empathy is really hard to explain, because it's just a part of a ranger's personality. They're able to be better attuned to a companion's emotions, but it is by no means limited."

"I see," Zojja nods after a moment. "So, what brings you to Rata Sum?"

"We found Fieuzz and brought her here," Tiffany replies. "She was attending a Seraph ceremony wearing no more disguise than a hood."

"Then she obviously can't be a proper genius," Zojja states in her Zojja way.

Tiffany represses the large grin that threatens to show at the pure Zojja-ness in Zojja's reply. ' _Tyria is awesome! I still can't believe we're here, permanently_!'

"It did work, though, for a while," Tiffany mentions a moment later. "She even went up on the stage for a moment and even we didn't realize it until someone mentioned she was an engineer, and put the other clues together."

Zojja looks at Tiffany sharply.

"Sometimes a good disguise is nothing more than a hood," Tiffany continues. "It was rather stupid of her, though. It shouldn't have worked, not around Seraph."

"The Seraph never were very effective," Zojja replies.

Tiffany waits for Zojja to continue with belittling the Seraph - in particular Logan - but she doesn't. 'Seems our maneuvering at Beorn's memorial did some good,' she decides.

"Well, I have to go. I have important things to be doing, including telling Phlunt that, no, I do not want to take on a… " Zojja trails of mumbling to herself as she turns away, Mr Sparkles tailing her.

An while later, Tiffany finds herself wandering around the area that serves as a campus grounds for the College of Synergetics.

She wanders around a bit, glancing at some odd inventions on display.

A door slams down a hallway, and a moment later, Zojja crosses the room to another exit, talking furiously to Mr Sparkles.

"Must be that thing she was going to see Phlunt about," Tiffany mumbles to herself.

A moment later, another asura-golem pair comes into the room.

Tiffany recognizes Scruffy instantly, but the asura riding the golem is unfamiliar. After a moment, though, Tiffany can see Taimi in the tiny asura. ' _well_ , _there_ is _a three years difference between when I saw her in Heart of Thorns, and the difference between twelve and fifteen year olds is rather large_.' However, Tiffany would not have been sure it was Taimi without Scruffy.

Tiffany wonders if it is safe to approach Taimi. Without, you know, horribly denting the timeline beyond repair... oh wait.

"You seem normal enough," Taimi says, approaching Tiffany. She has a teasing tone to her voice, but Tiffany knows she wouldn't have noticed if she hadn't known Taimi from Guild Wars. Taimi is also slightly taller than Tiffany.

"Normal?" Tiffany asks, amused. "I assure you, I am the height of crazy."

"I meant, normal for a human in Rata Sum," Taimi clarifies.

"Oh. Either one of those... components alone, and I'm still the height of crazy. But them both together... tell me, how do you know I am normal for a human in Rata Sum?"

"You look confused," Taimi responds promptly. "And curious. And like you want to dent your own head off for being so stupid."

Tiffany laughs. "Well, occasionally I do that last thing. And I'm only sometimes confused. But I'm tee-totally _always_ curious. I'm half-sylvari, you know. And you are backwards," Tiffany says.

"I am not backwards," Taimi replies confusedly. "And how can you be _half_ -sylvari?"

"Yes, you are," Tiffany retorts. "I can be half sylvari because I am quite sure I had the Dream, one night. Twice, actually, but the second time it was the Nightmare."

"How am I backwards? And how can you have the Dream without being a sylvari?"

"Case in point. I am sylvari - halfway, anyway - and that is how I had the Dream. You're backwards because you're taller than me, and I'm the human here."

Taimi opens her mouth to respond, blinks, and closes it again. She takes another look at Tiffany. "I suppose you are shorter... than Scruffy. But you don't look half-sylvari at all. And you _just said_ you're human. Ha!"

"That's because I'm only _mentally_ sylvari," Tiffany explains. "I'm physically human. I identify more human in that sense, but I'm also half-sylvari because I was already following the Ventari Tablet before I ever heard about the thing. And - yeah."

"Alright, tell me the tenets," Taimi challenges. "Scruffy, record if she's right or not."

"I haven't quite got them in order yet, but I know them," Tiffany promises. She pauses, racking her brain for the first tenet. Why can't she remember it? Life... life... it had something to do with life but it wasn't - it - it it! Why can't she remember? ' _I'll remember it later. I'll do the others first._ ' "Act with wisdom, but act," she says, checking it off on her finger.

"Correct," Scruffy intones.

"All things have a right to grow. The blossom is brother to the weed."

"Correct."

"Never leave a wrong to ripen into evil or sorrow."

"Correct."

"From the smallest blade of grass to the largest mountain, where life goes, so, too, should you."

"Correct."

"Ah - Do not fear difficulty. Hard ground makes stronger roots."

"Correct."

"Er... the only lasting peace is the peace within your own soul."

"Correct." Scruffy says again. After a moment where Tiffany doesn't say anything, he reminds her, "there - is - one - more."

"I know there is, it's the first one, and I can't remember it!" Tiffany grumps. "Give me a moment." A minute later, she sighs. "I can't remember it."

"Live - life - well - and - fully, and - waste - nothing." Scruffy informs her.

"Right," Tiffany replies dispiritedly. "See, I'm only half sylvari. If I was physically sylvari, I would have grown up in the Grove, and by the time I was two weeks old I would have had them all memorized, order and everything."

"Asura only learn to talk after about two weeks," Taimi observes.

"Ha!" Tiffany barks a laugh. "Humans don't learn until several years old."

Taimi raises her eyebrows. "Uhh... what's your name, anyway?"

"Tiffany," Tiffany answers. "And this is Beorn, my companion. And your golem is Scruffy. What's your name?"

"I'm Taimi. With an M. It's not Tiny." Taimi says, as if by rote. "You're a ranger?"

Tiffany smiles. "I imagine it would be easy to get mixed up. Especially for a norn," she adds, remembering Braham. "Yes, I am a ranger."

"Don't humans have double names?" Taimi queries. "I've never met a ranger."

"Oh, yes." Tiffany agrees. "But some asura I've met have been confused by them, so I generally introduce my first name first. My last name is Tassof, though. Oh, I know several rangers."

"That makes sense," Taimi nods. "Who else is a ranger?"

"Just some people I know. They live in the Shiverpeaks and in Ascalon, and I don't know them very well."

"Oh. Well, what do you know about rangers? Being one, you must know a lot."

"What do you want to know about?"

"Beorn," Taimi responds promptly. "Why does he listen to you so well?"

Tiffany sighs. "You know, I just had this very exact same conversation with Zojja not too long ago. Maybe you could ask her?"

Taimi gets a crafty look. "Now, that's an idea."

"What do you mean?"

"Phlunt is trying to get Zojja to take me as her student, and she doesn't want to," Taimi grumbles.

"Ohhhh," Tiffany realizes, connecting the dots. ' _Taimi became Zojja's student in 1326, at the beginning of the Scarlet madness, but how did that happen? There must have been prior discussions. I didn't know Zojja was reluctant, though._ ' "I suppose that would be a decent topic of conversation.

"Excuse me, Phlunt is calling me," Taimi excuses herself in a slightly grumbly tone.

* * *

Shortly afterwards, Tiffany decides to head to Divinity's Reach and explore some. It wouldn't do to not know your own city, now, would it?

Wandering around the center of Divinity's Reach, Tiffany finds a book cart. Idly glancing through the pile of books, she sees a book entitled _Ghosts of Ascalon_ by Dougal Keane.

 _'I know that's a book you could buy on earth,_ ' Tiffany remembers. ' _I guess it's in Tyria too. I wonder if there are any other books I recognize?_ ' She doesn't know what _Ghosts of Ascalon_ is about, but from the name, she guesses it's about the Foefire and Searing and whatnot. Tiffany doesn't have time to read that, but maybe after Seraph training she can come find it.

Wandering around Divinity's Reach, she finds other book carts. In one, she finds _Time to Dye_ by Kristen P. It caught her eye because of the curious misspelling of the word die, but then she finds it is a book on dying cothing. She shrugs and puts it back.

She finds _Destiny Set in Stone: The Last Days of the Dwarves_. She can't find the author's name. It caught her eye because of the word Destiny, but she decides it would make an interesting read. She mentally files it away along with _Ghosts of Ascalon_.

In another book cart, she finds _Honoring the Ancestor Tree_. Wondering if it is about the Pale Tree, she finds the publication date, which was long, long time ago. That fits the dusty cover and being forgotten in a corner. Frowning, she puts the book back, wondering what the Ancestor Tree is, if not the Pale Tree.

After a while, she gives up on her admittedly already half-hearted search for book carts. By this time, it is late, and Tiffany heads back towards the Ossan quarter to get back to the Seraph Training Academy. Seeing another book cart, she sighs at her innate curiosity and bookworm-ish-ness. There can't be any book important enough to pick up right now, anyway. But she heads over to it anyway.

Giving the cart a cursory once-over, she turns away, hoping her curiosity is satisfied. However, out of the corner of her eye, she sees the word 'destiny' and is forced to turn around and check it out. _The Edge of Destiny_ by Sangjo of Lion's Arch.

Tiffany's face takes on a gleeful look, and she snatches the book out, glancing at the back, then the inside cover for more information. The first page - the teaser page, really - has her in stitches of laughter, but determinedly saves the rest for when Fiona is around. She doesn't even think about her not having enough time to read it - she'd been wanting to read this for ages! And maybe it can give her insight into how to bring Destiny's Edge back together.

She asks around for who owns the bookcart, but no one can tell her. Tiffany leaves a generous donation of twenty-five silver hidden beneath another dusty book, before taking it.

Her only question is who 'Sangjo of Lion's Arch' is. Oh well. She turns to go back to the Ossan quarter, but hesitates. She is currently Tiffany, not Kasmeer. If she wants to return to the ceremony, she will have to go as Tiffany. And that would simply be unusual.

So she asks Beorn to stand and wait for Fiona, and decides to excercise the empathic bond's range. She walks as far as she can until the connection begins to dim, but she focuses on some intense emotions, pushing them through. Beorn returns them, and the bond strengthens. Tiffany walks farther and farther away, pressing on the bond, widening it.

This process takes a long time, but Tiffany does not like the idea of thinking Beorn dead because of distance limitations to their bond. When they started, they could not be far from each other before the connection cut off. Barely out of sight around a corner in the wide-streeted city.

By the time Beorn sends his impression of Fiona to Tiffany - communicating personality impressions to each other is how they indentify people - the bond has stretched around the central hub of Divinity's Reach as far as Salma waypoint. She pops back to Ossan waypoint. "I suppose it's quite easy to stretch that aspect of it, but it might shorten if we don't use it."

"Hey, Tiffany!" Fiona greets. The landscape changes as they are portaled to the Seraph Training Academy, or, as Tiffany privately calls it, STA. "What'd you do after reporting to Forgal and General Almorra?" their weapons haven't vanished, and Fiona simply recasts the illusions of Kasmeer and Catava.

"Almorra didn't like at first how I'd left a non-Vigil person to deliver Fieuzz, but Forgal testified for you, and so she decided to wait a bit and see if she received word of Fieuzz's arrest from the asuran authorities. Which she did. Meanwhile, I was given a new assignment - investigate dredge behaving oddly in the Shiverpeaks. Lornar's Pass, from the description of 'just south of the Durmand Priory, and east of Afgar's waypoint."

"Not Molevon Portage?" Catava checks.

"The same."

"Neat. I can come with you."

Kasmeer shakes her head with a frown. "The mission starts day after tomorrow, mid-Seraph training. You have to stay and maintain the illusion of Kasmeer."

"But you'll miss the Seraph training."

"That I will, but Almorra has told me to supplement it with _Vigil_ training, which will teach me how to fight in a group rather than in pairs or alone." Kasmeer grins. "But I am afraid you do need to stay here and keep Kasmeer busy."

"Alright," Catava sighs. "Anything else?"

"I returned to Rata Sum, and your asuran messenger informed me of your departure of the city. However, I looked around, met Zojja and Taimi - separately - learned some stuff, and found watches!"

"Watches?" Catava echoes in confusion.

"To tell time. On a - well, what we'd call it - a twenty-four-hour schedule rather than a twelve-hour schedule, but oh well to that!"

"Oh well to that," Catava agrees. "Show me."

Kasmeer takes the watches out of her pocket, hands one to Catava and puts the other on herself. Catava's vanishes from sight the moment she puts it on, but she grins at where it should be.

"If we mysteriously disappear, then both turn up with the same watch, people will put things together," Catava explains. "We're not supposed to know each other so well yet."

"Very well," Kasmeer grumps. "After that I came back to Divinity's Reach for a bit, and looked at some of those bookcarts they have lying around." she claps her hands and dances on the spot in glee. "I found a copy of the _Edge of Destiny_!"

"Which is something to do with Destiny's Edge, right?" Catava deadpans.

"Yup," Kasmeer reponds brightly. "See it? I can't wait to read it! And we'll read it together."

"You'll be reading out loud, won't you," Catava sighs. "Please don't speed-read so fast like normal?"

"Of course not," Kasmeer answers in a fake hurt tone. "We both need to enjoy the book properly."

Catava snorts. "Like you ever do."

"Hey! I read fast, not un-understandably fast," Kasmeer protests, her voice falling lower as the pair reenter the place where the ceremony's celebration is still ongoing.

* * *

Kai Karkasonne approaches Kasmeer. "I've been looking for you for ages! The Heros of Shaemoor - _both_ of them! - came in here! They spoke with Captain Thackeray before leaving. I didn't hear what was said - I was at the back of the room - but just _wow_!"

"I heard," Kasmeer says, with a touch of amusement in her voice. "Have I introduced you to my friend, Catava?"

"No, you haven't. Hello, Catava. I'm Kai." the large human introduces. "Speaking of introducing, have you met my friend, Von Ffeldy?"

"No. Isn't he the engineer?" Catava checks.

"Yep. Hey, Ffeldy! Get over here!"

The engineer pops up beside Kai, seemingly out of nowhere. "Yeah?"

"I want to introduce you to my acqaintance, Kasmeer, and her friend, Catava. Kasmeer, Catava, this is Von Ffeldy. He preferrs being called Ffeldy to Von, by the way."

"Alright," Catava replies quietly. "Nice to meet you, Ffeldy."

"Nice to meet you, too," Ffeldy replies.

"Why do you not like being called Von?" Kasmeer queries with a mischeivous glint in her eye. "Just curious."

"It's just rather an odd first name," Ffeldy shrugs. "It sounds like a foreign title or something. Von."

"Well, never fear," Kasmeer replies brightlly. She pauses briefly. "I knew someone once who absolutely _hated_ her first name. She _insisted_ we call her by her last name." she winks at Catava who hides a grin.

"Who?" Kai asks interestedly.

"Her name was Nymphadora Tonks." Fiona reponds cheerily, with a wink of her own at Kasmeer.

"Ouch, her parents must have had a brain malfunction when they named her." Tiffany barely keeps from laughing, that's almost exactly what Tonks said.

"Well, she thought so too. Somebody introduced her as... Catava, I'll need your help for this. You be Moody."

Kai and Ffeldy get odd looks on their faces. 'You be _moody_?' Kai mouths in confusion. Tiffany and Fiona have a hard time concealing their laughing at their new friends confusion.

"This is Nymphadora - " Catava starts.

"Don't call me Nymphadora!" Kasmeer hisses.

"Tonks," Catava finishes, as if she hadn't heard Kasmeer. "She totally hates her first name, so don't call her that."

"And when she got married, she didn't drop her last name like normal." Kasmeer explains. "She dropped her first name, so her name technically was Tonks Lupin, instead of Nymphadora Lupin. She was serious about her name."

"Really? I never heard that," Catava responds, surprised.

"It's because we never stopped calling her Tonks," Kasmeer answers.

"So anyway, never fear, we'll call you Ffeldy till the day you die," Catava promises.

"And beyond," Kasmeer inserts. "Tonks died, and we still call her Tonks."

"Right. You don't stop calling a person a name just because they died. I should know that," Catava agrees, with a brief glare out the corner of her eye at Kasmeer.

Kasmeer huffs.

* * *

 _Author's Notes:_

So, how do you like it? I am terribly sorry for the long wait... but... I had to read _Edge of Destiny_ (I did it in less than eight hours, a single day) plus I was away on a vacation and we have extended family visiting... October is holiday month, I'm sure you can tell. Heh.

Anyway... (love _EoD_ ) sorry for the long wait, but _Edge of Destiny_ has given me a _million_ ways to trick up Destiny's Edge to being _friendly_ again!

Zojja's reaction was more anger-grief reaction than it's-your-fault reaction. She should have gotten over it fairly quickly after the shock was gone. (Did I already say that at the top of the chapter?)

I don't know Zojja as well as I know nearly everyone else in Destiny's Edge. She wasn't in Living World season 1 at _all_ , and I never played asura much. Caithe, on the other hand - she was in most of the dungeons, a little in LS1, popping in and out of HoT, and I played a sylvari a little bit. See the difference?

Anyway, I need to know Zojja's _whys_ so that I can convince her to join up with Eir again. Otherwise I'll have to do a parody of the original Logan-and-Rytlock-get-back-together-and-show-Zojja-that-it-can-be-done-and-pop-the-'Snaff would have wanted it'-card. Which would be tedious.

Anyone know Zojja better than I do?


	25. Chapter 25: The Real Training Begins

SOLDIERS, SCHOLARS, AND SPIES

* * *

Summary: Tiffany and Fiona, aka Kasmeer and Catava, begin the real Seraph training. They are purposely exhausted to the point of fainting, before sleeping the rest of the day and all the next night. That morning, before Miss Fiero comes to wake them up, Kasmeer and Fiona read the prologue to _Edge of Destiny._ Later, after breakfast and in 'free time', they read part of the next chaper. Then profession-specific training begins. For Kasmeer, she is being taught how to communicate better with her companion.

* * *

Chapter twenty-five: The Real Training Begins

* * *

 _Author's Notes:_

I need another disclaimer. The last one's faded out by now, probably, but I also have something else to disclaim.

 _ **DISCLAIMER**_ _ **:**_ I do not own Tyria, Guild Wars (one _or_ two) or any names, characters, places, events, etc. etc. including the books found on the book carts in the last chapter and the content of _Edge of Destiny._ _**ALSO**_ I do not own the Dúnadan Aragorn. (and now you are all wondering how I could possibly merge LotR with GW2, but... wait and see.) Or Beorn. I do not own the name Beorn. (I own my pet bear's character and personality, just not his name.)

So, you'll probably notice by the end of the chapter, but I know exactly who is in Kasmeer and Catava's Seraph training class, their professions, and stuff like that. I'm fleshing out stuff - like the bunk arrangement in the female barracks - and personalities. And histories. I probably won't get them all. But whatever. (Whatever you!)

How many of you read _Lightbringer Vriré_ , chapter 9 of _My One-Shots_? It really introduces you to Vriré's character and history and why she is who she is. And whatnot. There's also some hints for the die-hard fans who might recognize a hint about some of Vriré's friends... AHAHAH it's the longest-thrown single plot point I have planned ahead. Simply because I thought it would be awesome. (You can't hear me, but I'm cackling in glee right now.)

 _ **Okay, here's the story now:**_

* * *

That night, Kasmeer is eager to begin the new book. But Catava drowses off just as Kasmeer is explaining what the book is about, that she knows of. Kasmeer, looking across at Catava, notes a new name-plate like brass symbol on the occupied bunks around her. Noting where Catava's is, she looks where hers should be, and sees the symbol of ranger shining dully there. Further down, the guardian symbol stands for Kai, and on Catava's bunk it is the mesmer symbol. Below the symbols are the types; beneat the ranger symbol is _**ADVENTURER**_ in large, bold letters. The other symbols have similar identification. Noting this, Kasmeer rolls over to sleep as well, communicating with Beorn intensely as she falls asleep. Perhaps they will share dreams and expand the bond that way.

* * *

In the morning, as wake-up is called, Kasmeer tells Catava that she'd thought up a code-name for Beorn: Brac.

Catava snorts. "We have a friend named Ayla, and now we have a bear named Brac. Coincidence, no? But why do we need a code-name for him? Tiffany is famous. You named your animal companion after the Hero of Shaemoor's animal companion."

"Hey, I thought it up. Or maybe he did. We kind of shared dreams last night. And I suppose you're right."

"Oh no. And sorry for falling asleep last night, but Sieran dragged me aaallll the way up north into Harathi Hinterlands. North as we could get, west as we could get. Long walk, followed by defeating destroyers, stealing explosives from the centaurs, while the skritt rescued their friends. And then more stuff. And then we had to walk all the way back because waypoint fees."

"Oh, that's right, we should really find a way to earn our own coin." Kasmeer grumbles. "And I bet you had to deal with centaurs."

"Yeah. 'Looting' from 'mobs' doesn't really cut it anymore, that's for certain." Catava laughs. "At the moment, the family's only income is the tavern and Deborah's Seraphing. Hey, what Vigil? Most Vigil members spend all their time doing Vigil things, don't you think they'd get paid? And no, I veiled us."

"If I haven't yet, I won't ask," Kasmeer replies. "I really don't like _asking_ for things like that, you know? I'm not going to say 'oh, General Almorra, I really need some money and we were thinking that the Vigil people get paid so, can I have some money?' Uh, _no_. No way am I doing that. Especially what if that's _not_ how it works?"

"Alright, you kittening recruits!" DeGlasse's voice bellows. "Today is you kittens first real day of kittening Seraph training. It's be kittening rough. Brutal. For your kittening profession, anyway. It is kittening sorted by profession type. First test; your kittening intelligence. Soldiers, line up in front of me."

Kai Karkasonne, along with Ado Iwai, Nadia Lettieri, and Sandra DiBona instantly step into formation.

"Scholars behind me!" DeGlasse snaps.

Anil Topux, Enrico Pickard, Tate Reisdorf, and Ebru Kountz form up behind DeGlasse. An instant behind them is Catava, along with Orva Heimbach.

"Adventurers, line up beside me!" DeGlasse continues.

The last one is glaringly obvious. Unless you didn't know there were only three types. Kasmeer steps forward with Von Ffeldy, Dominick Garret, Loris Capaldo, Fulvia Santini, Ibu May, Johan Leng, and Nu'ma Kamara.

Kasmeer represses a smile as she sees four other rangers and only two of most other professions.

"Alright, you kittens know your kittening types," DeGlasse rumbles. "Scholarly kittens with Miss Fiero. Soldier kittens with me. Adventuring kittens, meet Seraph Temir Sattar, that's sir, Seraph Sattar, SIR to you kittens!"

"Yes sir, mesmer DeGlasse, SIR!" the recruits chorus.

The profession types split formation to stand by their mentioned Seraph person. Nobody knows yet what for.

Kasmeer makes eye contact with Catava, who does her sound-bubble thing.

" **Don't drop our illusions, however taxing the mental drain!** " Kasmeer tells Catava, before their respective Seraph march them down the hall, splitting off at different doorways.

Kasmeer's group is led into an area that is like an obstacle course. As soon as the whistle goes, she is running through. It is not a hard obstacle course, by any means - all the recruits complete it easily. No, what Kasmeer finds when Seraph Sattar blew the whistle again, is that the course is meant to tire you out at a steady rate.

However, the ranger pets are not allowed in the obstacle course. Due to her advanced connection with Beorn, he can lend her strength occasionally, allowing her to go longer than most of the others. After three rounds, Ffeldy drops out, exhausted. Then the others start going.

The last still running laps around the course are the five rangers, drawing strength from their companions to varying degrees, depending on how advanced their bond is. Kasmeer has an advantage in that she is older than most of them, and is used to draining combat, and that the pair are used to drawing strength from each other - both ways - but she only goes for two more rounds after the last other ranger drops out.

"You need to be more resilient than that," Seraph Satter snaps. "The Seraph can't have weaklings like you lot on duty. Go it again! Push yourselves! Tire yourselves out! And you rangers there, don't expect your companions to be left out of the chase for long! When in combat you'll both be fighting." Seraph Sattar blows the whistle again.

Kasmeer hauls herself to her feet.

"I don't care how slow you go, just do it!" Seraph Satter shouts. "Use whatever tricks up your sleeves you've got, I don't care!"

Kasmeer gets through the obstacle course several more times, going slower each time. She gets a cramp in her side, but she doggedly keeps on, getting more and more tired each lap. She'd been places where she had to keep walking. Keep going. Keep going. Here, she has an advantage. This might be the adventurer group, and most of them had known they had an affinity for their profession early on, but they are used to waypointing everywhere.

Kasmeer might have gotten soft in the three or four months since she came to Tyria, but life-long habits of walking everywhere have not died. She keeps on.

Still, the rangers go longer than the others. Their companions are cheering them on from the sidelines, giving them morale, strength, and most of all, the will to keep going.

After an hour of this, Seraph Sattar not letting any of them stop until they drop, the obstacle course has an added level of difficulty in going around the exhausted recruits who had dropped in the middle of the course.

At the beginning of the day, it had been a race. Now four of the rangers trudge on, side by side, wearily forcing themselves to take another step. The other, Fulvia Santini, is passed out from overexertion, heat, and other factors. Like pride, having tried to go faster for the show of the thing.

Off to the side, the animal companions are lying down as if sleeping, but really seeping energy slowly into their companions.

Kasmeer's disguise flickers briefly. In another part of the Academy, so does Catava's. Catava immediately drops out of the scholar's endurance training, instead focusing on the illusions.

Dominick Garret and Nu'ma Kamara, the two thieves, had shadowstepped their way through the course for a long while, but eventually they, too, grew tired. Von Ffeldy had dropped long, long, long before.

The four rangers continue, matching each other pace for pace.

Then Beorn gets an idea. He strains to recall a familiar melody with a rousing beat from Kasmeer's shared recollections. But the bond has not increased to that capacity yet, to share memories. So he goes with _See You Again_ \- Catava had replayed his memorial during that one night of catching up.

He simulates the beat by pulsing dim beats of energy, coupling it with the emotions the song invokes in Kasmeer, pulsing it as well. The emotion is to trigger her subconscious to remember and know the beat even if he misses it now and again.

Kasmeer picks up her pace slightly, stepping to beat as is her habit. She is slow, and she only steps to every other beat, but she is going. After a little bit, Beorn stops pulsing energy, saving it up for when Kasmeer needs a burst of energy. But Kasmeer doggedly keeps on, stepping to the beat of the emotional pulsing coming from Beorn.

The emotional beat tugs at her heart and drags her relentlessly forward through the obstacle course. She can almost feel the beat in harmony with her heartbeat, loud and pounding in her ears with exhaustion. After a long, unknowing time, she recircles the obstacle course. She is one round ahead of the other rangers. Johan Leng is out.

Ibu May's pace turns odd, and Kasmeer guesses that she is stepping to a beat, too. Beorn quiets his pulsing, and Kasmeer uses her brain (that is bored as death! No, not bored as death, that one fanfic she'd written with real boredom*...) to figure out if she knows that beat. Ibu May is walking terribly slow. She walks slow for about five steps, pauses, goes more quickly, stopping occasionally.

Kasmeer's eyes narrow. She mentally says 'ding' for each step. _ding, ding, ding, ding, ding ding ding, ding, dingding, ding... ding, ding... diiing... ding ding diiing ding, ding ding._ She furrows her brow in concentration. She knows that beat. Beorn picks it up and pulses it to her, with a different emotion accompanying. He knows this song less, much less, but she loves this song. Only when it is simply the beat it's much harder to pick up.

' _Fear Not This Night!_ ' Kasmeer realizes. She glances at Ibu May's footsteps again, and, after a moment, places the melody. She falls in step with Ibu. Ibu glances at her tiredly, curiosity shining in her eyes. Beorn approaches Ibu's moa pet, and the melody comes more strongly through the connection. After a bit, the other ranger companions get in on the act, and soon the whole group is walking in step.

Then, Beorn's beat changes back to _See You Again_ , a faster beat, and Kasmeer dutifully steps up. A moment later, the other rangers step up as well, their steps more uncertain, but with their companions matching Beorn and themselves matching Kasmeer, they become more sure. They know what this training is; endurance. And they want to learn this. There is no talking.

Seraph Sattar is watching them in amazement. Never had a batch of recruits done this. The companions are all staring at each other and the other animals intently, alert and ready, if tired.

The rangers trudge on, each foot landing at the same exact time, each foot doing the same tiny twisty maneuver before setting down again. At first the others had lagged briefly behind Miss Inafit's steps, but they are all even now.

The song has been run through thrice by now, and the animal companions and rangers all know the beat, if not the melody or lyrics.

This is the fastest beat that Beorn knows, so he keeps at it, rerunning the song through and through his mind, repeat and repeat, and pulsing emotion to Kasmeer.

Once in a while, an animal companion's head droops, and a ranger perks up ever so slightly.

After another half hour of this, even the animal companions' slowly recuperating energy can't keep up with the pace set by the song. Beorn slows it back to _Fear Not This Night_.

Seraph Sattar stares in awe as the three rangers stop their odd pace and pick up an even odder one, slow and with many pauses in the middle. Sattar can't predict any of it, and yet the three stay in perfect step.

Then, Loris Capaldo drops. It is down to Ibu May and Kasmeer Inafit. Kasmeer is spurred on by her love of the song, and so, presumably, is Ibu.

Kasmeer's eyelids are sagging. She is barely touching the beat anymore. Ibu is in the same situation.

Beorn and Ibu's companion stress the beat, adding their pulsing energy to it.

Seraph Sattar watches as the two recruits perk up in response to the energy, but each time, only enough for their feet to touch down at the exact same moment, rather than dragging.

Ibu's moa runs out of energy and slips into deep slumber. Ibu stumbles without her pet's loyal pulsing keeping her on track, and Ibu too tired to remember the beat. She sinks down on the ground, passing out in exhaustion.

Beorn pushes more energy in per pulse, keeping Kasmeer going, but soon his beat slows and only pulses faintly as he sleeps, the beat _ding_ ing on in his dreams. Kasmeer quickly tires without Beorn's aid, and not two minutes after Ibu, she, too, collapses in exhaustion.

Seraph Sattar checks the timer and number of rounds each recruit had completed. The thieves are normal. The one engineer had no base to measure on. The rangers are ahead, as normal, but Miss Inafit, Mr Capaldo, and Miss May had outstripped all the rest by... well, a lot.

Seraph Sattar employs his theif abilities to shadowstep each recruit one by one to the infirmary, where they would rest the whole day and all night, too. They won't wake. They are exhausted.

"You're late," the medic informs him.

"Look at these scores," Sattar tells her, handing her the sheet of paper. Jolie Neeser's eyebrows shoot up.

"Interesting," she comments. "I'll make sure they rest all they can today."

Beorn awakes with a jolt when Sattar shadowsteps Kasmeer away. He pushes the little bit of his energy into his little bit of magic, which amplifies it. He slowly feeds it over the connection, afraid for Kasmeer's health. However, he does not have much energy, and soon falls asleep again.

* * *

The next day, the recruits all awaken in their barracks, refreshed. They awaken one by one, slowly.

Kasmeer hears movement in a bunk closer to the door than hers, and on her side of the row of bunks, too. There is only one person in that area, that is Ibu May. She knows the names because there had been a forced meeting session - at least with those she shared a barracks with - last night. There are only eight in the female barracks, so it was easier-ish. But Kasmeer does not know them, besides their names. Except for Kai, whom she'd gotten to know a little.

"Ibu May?" she asks.

"Kasmeer Inafit?"

"Yes. Where do you know _Fear Not This Night_ from?"

"A sylvari Firstborn, Dagonet, is a family friend. We made him teach it to us."

Kasmeer suppresses a snort of laughter. "You must be good friends, to get away with that."

"Oh, yes. He likes our family. How do you know the song?"

Kasmeer is quiet for a brief moment. "Someone sang it to us in a moment of victory, once. It was just the melody, but we were entranced. We learned the words later." Kasmeer does not elaborate. Ibu does not ask. ' _I can't exactly tell her I heard it when helping Trahearne complete his Wyld Hunt. If she's friends with Dagonet, well, he knows Trahearne. If this leaked back to him... who knows. At least anything questionable as Kasmeer won't get out as Tiffany... except for those who know who I am._ ' "My si _ster knows it as -_ "

" _Kasmeer Inafit_!" Catava hisses. " _We're not sisters, remember?_ "

" _Right... what happened?_ " Tiffany wonders. _"Why can't they hear us?_ "

" _Silencing bubble and sound-carrying enchantments._ "

" _Right. I'll be careful; drop it now._ "

" _You better be_ ," Catava warns. The enchantment drops.

To avert attention from her abrupt stop in the middle of a word - at least to Ibu's ears - Kasmeer asks a question.

"What is your companion's name?"

"Momo. Yours?"

"Beorn. Why?"

"Momo... well, we couldn't come up with a name for her. It's a play on the word 'moa.'"

"Oh, I see."

"What about yours? Beorn?" Ibu seems curious

"I named Beorn..." Kasmeer stifles a laugh into her pillow. ' _I named him after the skin-changed in the Hobbit. I can't believe I did that. I wanted to change it, but now I wouldn't for the world. It was because I had no other assosciations with bears. I am absolutely hilarious._ ' "It was a play on his species, as well. Bear. Beorn." ' _Well, it was! Because Beorn in the Hobbit could turn into a bear more thoroughly than any norn. And who knows, maybe J. R. R. Tolkien named Beorn the skin-changer that for the same reason. Heh._ '

"We should ask the other rangers," Ibu remarks. "See how many names are because of their species."

"That we should."

Kasmeer and Ibu fall silent, and Catava reopens the sound network so they can talk privately.

" _I almost lost our disguises halfway through yesterday,_ " she confides. " _I dropped out immediately._ "

" _That's completely okay. Beorn played me music to keep me going._ "

Catava stifles a laugh. " _I was therefore not as tired as most anybody else, and I've been bored all night._ "

" _You could have sneaked Edge of Destiny out of my locker_ ," Kasmeer grumbles. " _We don't have much time for that anyway._ "

" _The lockers open with hand-prints_."

" _Oh. Right. Well, nothing stopping us reading now, is there?_ "

" _I'm hungry._ "

" _So am I,_ " Kasmeer admits. " _But Miss Fiero hasn't even come to wake us up yet_."

" _I get the feeling it's different after exhausting training_ ," Catava points out. "G _rab the book and let's read. I'll make sure no one else sees._ "

Kasmeer carefully pops her locker open and pulls the book out. She shivers in excitement just looking at the concept art on the cover. Snaff isn't there (but he could be hiding behind Logan, who features prominently) and neither is Garm (but Eir is in the back, Garm could be hiding behind her or Rytlock), but Kasmeer loves the picture.

" _Come on_ ," Catava pleads. " _And remember to read to me, and not to yourself out loud._ "

" _Noted_ ," Kasmeer agrees, and, flipping the book open, she begins to read.

" _" I'm Logan Thackeray. I protect those who are mine,"_" Kasmeer reads. " _" I'm Rytlock Brimstone," the charr shot back. "I kill those who aren't."_

 _" I recognize your blade. Did you say Rurik Brimstone?"_" Kasmeer laughs at Logan's question.

 _"I don't get it_ ," Catava says, lost.

" _Rytlock's sword, Sohothin, used to be Prince Rurik's sword. The charr and humans hate each other at that time - keep that in perspective. A charr wielding a human's sword would be rather offensive to the humans._ "

" _I see ,_" Catava nods.

" _Aw, man, that's the end of the page, and it was just a teaser. Darn it. Oh well, it was hilarious. Now to real start of the story!_ "

Kasmeer sighs. ' _the Edge of Destiny! I'm reading it right now! I can't believe this!'_ " _I'm guessing this is a Tyrian book. I mean, it won't have all sorts of thigs like publication date, I'm guessing. Or the mention of Guild Wars as a game."_

" _Probably_ ," Catava agrees.

" _Ooh, a Tyrian timeline!_ " Kasmeer notes, reading it aloud. " _Oh, Ventari died in 1180 AE. Nice to know. That means... a hundred and twenty years from then to the sylvari awakening._ " she continues reading. " _We know that the sylvari awoke in 1300 - sometimes the wiki says it was in 1302, but that's wrong. It says it right in the sylvari character creation - twenty-five years ago, my people sprouted from the Pale Tree - or something like that. And we know sylvari characters don't start out in 1327. Here, look: Thirteen nineteen AE: Eir Stegalkin forms a band of heros known as Destiny's Edge._ "

" _Thirteen nineteen? Wasn't it thirteen twenty?"_ Catava checks.

" _They disbanded in thirteen twenty, but they were together for a year before that,_ " Kasmeer explains. " _Oh, it's a map! It's of all of Tyria and doesn't have zone lines or anything, but it says where cities are, the Vigil Keep and the Durmand Priory, and stuff like that. You'll have to look it over later._ "

" _I will. Now read the actual book!_ "

" _Prologue: Dream and Nightmare. Ohh, this will be creepy."_ Kasmeer notes. A moment later: " _Oh, it's about Caithe._ "

Kasmeer reads the chapter aloud avidly, relishing in the pure immersion the book offers, more so than one written on earth. The quirks of the characters she knows shine through the pages. Caithe's struggle against Faolain's enticing words draws a smile to Kasmeer's face as she gets to know her friend from six years ago.

" _My touch - and the sacrifice of this man - have awakened darkness in you." she turned away. "You will be mine again soon._ "

Kasmeer shudders. " _That sounds creepy. At least we know it didn't work._ "

" _Really?_ "

" _Well, she never joined the Nightmare Court,_ " Kasmeer reasons. " _But I still don't like Faolain._ "

" _Right. Read on_."

" _That's the end of the chapter. Put a final gong of mystery to it, putting it at the end of a chapter. I wonder how..._ " Kasmeer flips the book over to look at the author. " _Sangjo of Lion's Arch came to know these things. I don't think Caithe would have told him, but..._ "

Catava shrugs. " _Oh well._ "

Just then the door opens quietly. Kasmeer slips the book under her blankets and pretends to be asleep. Catava cancels the sound enchantment.

"Is anyone awake?" Miss Fiero calls softly. Ibu May looks up from her bunk tiredly. Kasmeer pretends to be asleep, shifting in a half-awake dream. Catava shows more awareness, letting out a slurred "'m tryina sleeep..."

Fulvia Santini is sitting tiredly in her bunk as if she had just sat up. Nadia Lettieri is still conked out, as is Sandra DiBona, the next bunk down from Catava, and Kai. Orva Heimbach, on the other hand, is fully dressed already, sitting in her bunk boredly.

Kasmeer notices that those who are still out of it all have _**SOLDIER**_ under their brass symbols, that only the _**SCHOLAR**_ s show any prepared sense of awakeness, and the _**ADVENTURER**_ s are all somewhere in-between.

Miss Fiero nods as if this is expected. "Well, I'm sure those of you who are awake are hungry. When you're ready, come out into the female Common Room."

Fulvia Santini perks up at the mention of hunger (leading to the thought that perhaps they will be fed) and clambers out of her bunk with more speed. Orva Heimbach hops up and leaves the room. Kasmeer, to keep her show of having been asleep, lets Catava 'wake her up' gently.

As Kasmeer leaves the room, Kai stirrs. But she doesn't move after that.

In the female Common Room, Kasmeer and Catava take their assigned seats, also with a symbol and profession type tacked above their seat along with their bunk letters.

' _I would have wanted to buy such a plaque - the ranger symbol with_ _ **ADVENTURER**_ _beneath it - when I was still on earth,_ ' Kasmeer notes. ' _I roleplayed ranger so much... the one time I tried a longbow it surpassed all the shooting with Harrison's compound bow. And that feeling has just been enhanced since I came to Tyria. No compound bows for me! I don't think they have them in Tyria, anyway._ '

A minute later, Miss Fiero comes into the female Common Room from the main hall. She gestures silently to follow her, and the recruits jump up.

In the dining hall, there is a very bland, but nutritious meal awaiting them. They are sent back to explore their barracks and Common Room more fully afterwards, but Tiffany and Fiona simply read the next chapter in _Edge of Destiny_.

" _One. Fools and Followers_ ," Kasmeer reads, the book once again disillusioned. Well, Catava calls it disillusioning, and Kasmeer doesn't protest. It really is disillusioning, not stealthing. Although maybe that's what stealthing is... ' _It doesn't matter, stop thinking about it!_ ' she returns her attention to the book and begins reading.

" _He sat still because she was the alpha. Wow, Catava, that simple sentence just sounds super, somehow. It's just... I don't know. He sat still because she was the alpha._"

" _I like it, too_ ," Catava agrees.

Kasmeer continues reading.

" _...to declare war on the Dragonspawn."_

 _Eir nodded. "You've come to the wrong place. I am not the Dragonspawn_. _"_ _Ooh, good one, Eir!"_

Catava is smiling as well. Kasmeer reads on, through the hilarious debate before Eir agrees to sculpt the man's image. Her voice takes on an air of awe as Eir carves the statue.

Kasmeer stops, eyes wide, looking at the book. " _Just reading that was awesome. I had no idea Eir did that level of sculpting! I thought she just did it for... I don't know, a hobby or something. But that! That is spectactular! Just reading it was awesome. I just - just wow."_

" _Yeah_ ," Catava agrees, nodding fervently. " _And the way you read it out loud was awesome, too."_

Kasmeer starts reading again. She reads the other norn carrying the statue of their doomed friend to the market, she reads Eir's lament that he can not save anyone, even himself.

Catava listens avidly as Kasmeer's words sketch the scene from Garm's perspective, concerned about Eir not being able to sleep, and Eir's sketchings, not carving for a week. Kasmeer's words sketch Eir's waiting, her hushed tone and words with odd emphasis and tense sentences drawing Eir's anticipation accurately and engagingly, and both Seraph recruits lose themselves in the short few paragraphs. When the invasion cry rings through Hoelbrak, Eir picks up her weapons deftly, as if expecting it.

Kasmeer and Catava _are_ Garm as he watches his alpha prepare for battle, stalwartly defending her home. The anticipation of battle is sketched in words, Eir taking charge of her small band of crafters, leading them to hold Hoelbrak from the Icebrood. Eir's strategic planning, telling which members of her team to do what, and what their best chances would be where. Providing information to her teammate whose eyesight was failing.

And then, her archery. Her arrows sailed through the air, vanishing in the darkness, and far, far off, Icebrood drop. Kasmeer's mouth drops open in amazement. " _How does she aim from so far away?_ " she demands of her sister. " _She couldn't even see her arrows after a bit, and still the Icebrood are killed? How - I don't - what?"_

" _She's Eir,_ " Catava supplies simply.

" _Right. She's Eir. That explains it,_ " Kasmeer nods, without a trace of sarcasm. She fully agrees with Catava.

The other norn start shooting not long after, and shortly the Icebrood crash upon the defenses. Kasmeer and Catava are entranced as Eir applies her carving techniques to battle.

" _She has the same weapon set I do,_ " Kasmeer mentions. " _Bow until it doesn't make any more sense, and then double axes_."

The two girls are surprised when one of Eir's partners, Silas, falls in battle. Eir smashes the two Icebrood that killed him. Eir, covered in rage at the loss of her friend, lashes out at the nearby Icebrood, chopping them to pieces.

And then came an Icebrood once known as Sjord Frostfist, and Eir carved him to pieces. And that is how she fights the rest of the battle.

"When the battle was done, the defenders had prevailed. Even so, it seemed as if the Dragonspawn had won."

"Alright, recruits!" Miss Fiero shouts, as the last stragglers come in. "Come with me." She brings them to the room that the barracks branch off of, that Kasmeer has started mentally calling the Main Room. DeGlasse is waiting.

"I want you kittens sorted by profession." he informs them. The male recruits seem already sorted. "Rangers with Seraph Kalika Colandrea, mesmers with me, warriors with Seraph Gerdie Deese, guardians with Seraph Giusto Pagliaro, elementalists with Seraph Atalanta Fiero, thieves with Seraph Sattar, engineers with Head Chef Raspy, and necromancers with Seraph Reine Lenoir. It goes without question that you kittens should kittening address them _properly_ , do you kittens' kittening ears work? You showed you were kittening smart yesterday, if I find any of you kittens stepping out of line you'll get the kittening edge of my kittening sword."

Kasmeer glances at Catava. ' _I. Am. Sick. Of the word kitten! And I like kittens, too!_ ' Beorn sends sympathizing feelings over the link.

* * *

Seraph Colandrea, a whitish-gray owl on her shoulder, leads the rangers down the hall, opens a door and leads them through.

It's like a ranger's playhouse. There are targets along one wall, an interactive obstacle course with centaurs scattered throughout (a permanent illusion, perhaps?), sparring arenas, a training battlefield for mock battles, and all of it is spaced to accomodate the animal companions, as well.

"We will not be using these, at first," Seraph Colandrea informs them. Her voice is very melodic. "Line up."

Four of the rangers face each other, with one on the end to make a U-shape. Seraph Colandrea stands in the spare spot, making an oval.

"What is the most important part of a ranger?"

The cacophany of voices lasts a split second. "What?" she asks. "Left to right, answer!"

Johan Leng quickly answers, "Torbern."

Loris Capaldo replies, "Anant."

"Claws," Fulvia Santini reports.

"Momo," Ibu May says.

"Beorn," Kasmeer responds.

"Right. You'll learn how to expand your bond today. No speaking out loud is allowed! You _must_ communicate to your companions through the link. For the first session, you will be next to each other. Physical contact helps." Seraph Colandrea gestures towards an area that Kasmeer hadn't noticed before.

There are comfortable seats for humans, and varied devices for the animals to rest upon, as well, in close proximity to each other.

"Find a seat, make sure the one near it is compatible for your companion, and get comfortable," Seraph Colandrea informs them. She takes her own seat, which is in a position for her to see all the other seats, and all the other seats to see her, without any discomfort. There is a perch for her owl next to her, but he stays on her shoulder.

When all the rangers and their companions are settled, almost every one touching their companion in some way or other, be it with a hand resting on their companion's head, or one using the other as a pillow, or completely accidentally. The atmosphere is warm and homey, designed to invite relaxation and peace.

Seraph Colandrea takes a deep breath, eyes closed. The recruits mimic her, as do the companions. Kasmeer gets a feeling of warmth and home from Beorn.

The silence is silent, but comfortable. Nobody feels like breaking it. Kasmeer focuses on the feeling of Beorn's head in her lap, her hand on his head.

"Let me introduce you to Myst," Seraph Colandrea says in her breathy, soft, melodic tone. She is almost whispering.

Kasmeer opens her eyes reluctantly, looking at the ranger. The owl had flown down to land on the Seraph's knee, and she was stroking it. "Myst is my companion. As you can see, she is a curious color. White, or maybe gray, but certainly a mix. She looks like mist. So her name is Myst. She can fly up and scout things from afar, and her ears are excellent. She is a hybrid eagle and barn owl." she closes her eyes and breaths deeply again. The recruits mimic her. "Now, share something about your companion. It doesn't have to be much."

Ibu May starts. "My companion, a moa named Momo, is dear to my heart. My cousin, Cassie, owns a moa ranch, and my family visted her often when I was young. I fell in love with Momo then, and once, when I fell from a hay bale into the chicken pen and was hurt, Momo helped me heal, and rescued me from the angry chickens. That was when the bond started. I had other friends among the moas, as well, but Momo is my companion. Then, several months ago, centaurs attacked Shaemoor. By virtue of proximity, so was Cassie's ranch. I lost several moa friends, and I would have lost more if it were not for the Hero...s of Shaemoor. I decided then I would stop that to happening to more innocent young Krytans. I had a hard time convincing my parents, but here I am."

Kasmeer wonders at Ibu's hesitation in making Hero of Shaemoor plural, but dismisses it as Johan Leng speaks up.

"I have always been rather compassionate and caring, I suppose, and I have several friends out in the wild." Johan continues, "I never had a companion, though, until several days ago I met Torbern while testing for ranger. I fell in love with him at once, but I have not yet developed a connection."

"I grew up poor," Loris Capaldo begins. "I always lived hand-to-mouth. Most of the time, I didn't have a place to sleep. But Anant, my feline companion, was always around to help. When a meaner, bigger thug than I cornered me in an alleyway and injured me with his dagger, Anant was there to drive him off and heal me. Since then, he has been my guard and lookout, my assurance that I am safe. I have been his protector against those he has no defense against, and he knows he can come to me if he needs it. We relied on this bond when we were both in sticky situations, and the trust that we had one another built it up greatly."

Seraph Colandrea breaths deeply again. The recruits echo her, before Kasmeer begins her story.

"When I was very little, when I could barely walk, I was very compassionate. When my... when my sister would get hurt, I would go up to her and give her a hug. I was teased about this when I was older, but it was the only way I could show compassion, not being able to talk yet. My adoptive parents, curious, called an expert on little children. He just so happened to be a ranger, as well, and informed my parents that I probably had the aptitude. He brought me out into a forest and sat with me, explaining to me the wonders of nature. Drawn by his peaceful aura and his companion, wild animals approached us without fear. I became interested in Beorn, who was several feet away from me, and babbled baby-talk to him. He didn't seem to mind, and in fact seemed to like me back. When the ranger who brought me there, M - " Kasmeer pauses. ' _This is Tiffany's story. I should at least change the name. Quick, ranger names? From books? Ranger._ ' " - Aragorn Dúnadan, tried to get to me, Beorn thought that Aragorn was a threat, and stood in front of me, defending me. He was calmed and brought home with me, where we tried to bond, but it didn't work. We were on the point of giving up when I fell down the stairs, and Beorn healed me, beginning the bond." Kasmeer gets an odd look every time she calls her mentor Aragorn. It's weird, Aragorn being sombody else's name. ' _When I tell Catava about using Aragorn's name like that... she'll ask where the name 'Dúnadan' came from. Heh._ '

Ibu May is staring at her. Well, into space, really. Kasmeer realizes she must be communicating with Momo.

"Claws is my companion," Fulvia Santini says. "I lived in Ebonhawke for some time, and my parents constantly warned me not to leave the city, because of the charr. Once, I left anyway, and was almost killed. Claws saved me. He's a devourer, and so the charr tried to capture him, but he didn't let them. He's a smart devourer, and I couldn't be happier to have him by my side."

"Now we all know each other's companions. Now, I want you to focus on your own companion. Feel the touch of them to you. Focus on that. _Feel_ intensely, and try to communicate what you are feeling to your companion in as much detail as you can. Johan..."

Kasmeer closes her eyes and follows Seraph Colandrea's directions. She breaths deeply, focuses on the connection, and finds something to _feel_ about. Her excitement over being in Tyria. Her surprise when she first met Trahearne. Her dread when she thought Beorn had died. Her optimistic view of Tyria's future, hopes and dreams of bringing Destiny's Edge together and forming the Pact. Beorn. Beorn. She can feel his head in her lap, her hand stroking his fur. She thinks of that. The feeling of having Beorn _with_ her, not dead, but here. Even if he hadn't died. The realm of the empathic bond is unbounded, almost. But Beorn as a person, as her friend and companion... she communicates this to Beorn, feeling him. The feelings are so much more acute with physical touch than without.

* * *

 _Author's Notes:_

How do you like it?

* The fanfiction I made a reference to is nowhere near being posted. To give you understanding, it follows Eir after she dies. She's in a nowhere-nothing land with nothing to look at, see, hear, do, feel. Only stuff to think. But she had no outer stimulation, not even feeling. So she would have been bored to death, literally, if she hadn't already been dead.

I said I wouldn't include any quotes from the book... but Eir's sculpting is just AWESOME I had to include it!


	26. Chapter 26: Dredge Technology

SOLDIERS, SCHOLARS, AND SPIES

* * *

Summary: Tiffany, Ibu May, and Fulvia Santini get back to the female barracks after training that day and chat a bit. The next day, Tiffany sets out to take command of the squad of Vigil that General Almorra had put under her command. Crusader Thurkill meets her and informs her that dredge ambushed and killed them all early that morning, and that the other Orders, who are also involved, are meeting in Hoelbrak with a neutral fourth party to resolve what should be done about the dredge. Tiffany goes on several adventures, and finds out that Scarlet Briar is behind the drege uprising.

* * *

Chapter twenty-six: Dredge Technology

* * *

 _Author's Notes:_

It has come to my attention that my story is now 234,802 words long. Not counting this chapter. A story that is 100,000 words long (roughly) is considered a novel. And, as I'm sure you can tell, this story is nowhere _near_ being complete. So I'm going to split my tale into different books; different posted stories on FFN. I've been thinking for a while anyway that the _Tyria's Real!?_ title is a bit off, now that Tiffany and Fiona aren't fresh from earth anymore.

So I've set the split to be at the end of chapter fourteen - that long break between _Deceased Relations_ and _The Priorites of the Vigil_. It's the only break that makes sense. So these chapters will vanish off of _Tyria's Real!?_ and chapter 14 will gain author's notes explaining the cut, and the name of the fanfic the chapters 15-40 (at least) will go by so you don't get lost. Under the same author name (Tiffany Smithi) of course.

Eventually. I'm not sure when. But sometime.

It's already chapter _forty_?!

EDIT FROM THE NOT-SO-FAR FUTURE: Well, it's not chapter forty anymore, is it? _Soldiers, Scholars, and Spies_ only has twenty-six chapters... and the next chapter will likely be the last. Even with the split, it's only been whittled down to 150,000 words. It's better, though! I'll find a way to cut unnecessary stuff and shave my word count down.

 _ **Okay, here's the story now:**_

* * *

Later in the afternoon, after Seraph Colandrea had had some one-on-one time with each student, giving Johan a running start on his connection and greatly advancing Kasmeer and Beorn's bond, to the point of being in sight of communicating single words to each other - with a _lot_ more exercise and practice, of course - the rangers go back to their living area/barracks (Common Room/bunk room) and chat about their companions, getting to know each other.

It is just the female rangers there - Kasmeer, Fulvia, and Ibu. At first the three simply chat with their companions, clarifying what they had been trying to send over the link. Seraph Colandrea had told them to do this, as it would enhance reception in the future, if their companions knew what a specific feeling or emotion meant.

After a while, however, they get to talking amongst themselves, with helpful input from their companions occasionally.

"So it seems that the Seraph Training Academy didn't do engineers until Ffeldy came along," Kasmeer mentions after a while.

"Well, it's the same as not having any other professions - say, crafting." Fulvia shrugs. "I'd say weaponsmithing, armorsmithing, and cook should be on the list as well."

"Oh," Kasmeer answers slowly. ' _I hadn't thought of that. But she makes a good point._ '

"The crafters are generally in the background," Ibu shrugs. "Maybe they'll let us take on a crafting discipline or two further in, and they get all the weapon- and armor-smithies and cooks they need from those. Wouldn't do to have a Seraph that didn't know how to fight, would it?"

"No way. The war with the centaurs wouldn't be going so well otherwise," Kasmeer shrugs. "That wasn't just the Heros of Shaemoor's doing, you know. They just kept the bandits clear to let the Seraph focus on the centaurs, mostly. But let's not talk about that. There'll be enough of it once we complete training."

Silence falls. Ibu begins humming a melody to herself, one that Kasmeer doesn't know. It sounds... familiar, though. At one point, she frowns. She knows that one series of notes... right?

Ibu trails off, as if completeing the song the tune goes to, before beginning again. Kasmeer shakes her head to herself. There is no way she knows that melody. It reminds her of Ibu knowing _Fear Not This Night_.

"Hey, Ibu? Can you tell me more about that sylvari friend you mentioned?" Nobody would have expected her to remember the name.

"Dagonet? Sure." Ibu shrugs. They are in the female Common Room, not their barraks, so they can see each other fairly well. "I mentioned he's a Firstborn sylvari, and he's the... well, I guess you could say sylvari ambassador to the humans right now. He mentioned a lot of terrible business going on at the party at Caudecus's Manor. Apparently one of the Heroes of Shaemoor's companion died in all that mess, and the human queen was kidnapped."

"Entirely unexpected, what happened to that Hero," Kasmeer agrees. "Dreadful. I realized that my bear is named after hers, as well. Beorn."

"This is very confusing business, there being two Heros of Shaemoor," Ibu shakes her head. "Could they at _least_ call them Hero of Shaemoor One and Hero of Shaemoor Two?"

"Maybe we should suggest it. And then they'd fight over who gets to be One and Two. And then it would be so long a title that people would start saying HoSO and HoST."

Just then, the door opens and Kai comes in, followed by Nadia Lettieri.

"Hey Kai," Kasmeer greets.

For the next hour they all talk about trivial things.

When Catava comes in, along with the rest of the female recruits, Kasmeer signals to Catava that she wants to read more, and Catava nods back. After a moment she tells her through the sound enchantment to go ahead.

Kasmeer flips open the book to the read-mark. Kasmeer is generally the one to read books first, before they've been opened by anyone else, and the read-mark is the bookmark, essentially, for the first time through the book. Beyond the read-mark, the pages are more closely together, having never been pulled apart to read, Before the read-mark, the pages are more spacey.

Kasmeer reads the next few paragraphs of Eir speaking to the statue of her father, and vowing to kill the Dragonspawn and the Elder Dragons.

" _Chapter two: Cat and Mouse. "_

The scene switches to Logan's perspective, locating where the charr are and how to stop them.

" _This was exactly the kind of job Logan loved - moving fast, striking hard, vanishing. His brother would call him a mercenary, but Logan preferred leather armor to polished steel._ "

" _What?_ " Catava asks, confused. " _He wears plate armor as the captain of the Seraph! He's a guardian, they're a heavy-armor profession._ "

" _I don't know,_ " Kasmeer shrugs.

" _We've never faced charr," said Everlee. "We're not Vanguard or Seraph. "_

 _"Thank the gods you're not,_ " Kasmeer reads with a slight wince. _"You'd be in a hundred pounds of plate mail." Logan grinned."_

 _"What is with Logan not liking plate armor?"_ Catava asks, frustrated.

" _This is a different Logan_ ," Kasmeer suggests. " _Six years ago?"_

" _Alright_ ," Catava agrees, half-confused. Kasmeer reads on as Logan plays lookout, telling his men when to start the rockslide. The description of the rockslide was awesome, and then the scouts beat a hasty retreat.

The perspective switches to Centurion Korrak Blacksnout's perspective, it seems, until Rytlock shows up and tries to warn the Centurion about the trap.

" _Is this how dull most charr are?_ " Kasmeer queries. " _I'd say Rytlock - and Rox, of course - are the best among them. This guy is terribly stupid, at any rate._ "

" _Definitely,_ " Catava agrees.

When Rytlock informed the Centurion 'I-told-you-so' and Korrak drew his weapon, Rytlock made short work of the charr, before adopting control of the remaining charr who hadn't been crushed by the rockslide, leading them after the fleeing human scouts.

Then, Seraph Fiero comes in and orders them to bed. Kasmeer, knowing that she has Vigil work tomorrow, puts the book away and goes to sleep, connecting with Beorn as much as she can to widen the connection.

* * *

The next morning, after DeGlasse yells at them some more (again), using the k-word over-much (again) which Kasmeer realizes is the routine for every morning, Catava veils Kasmeer and replaces her with an illusion of the sort that she can speak and hear through. She hopes the Seraph don't realize she is more absentminded today, or better yet that they aren't split up.

Kasmeer is accompanied by another illusion, just so Kasmeer can tell Catava when it is safe to drop her stealth and disguise.

She enters the room that contains the portal to take her back to Divinity's Reach. She opens her mouth to tell the other illusion it is safe to drop them now, but she is portaled away before she can, the distance between the Academy and Divinity's Reach stripping the illusions away.

* * *

Tiffany takes the asura gate to Lion's Arch, deciding to walk to the Vigil Keep, as it is still rather early. As she strolls north through old Lion's Arch, enjoying the mostly wood-worked ship-designed structures, she sees a familiar quaggan. Tiffany doesn't recognize her at first, until Beorn prods her with a feeling.

"Shashoo!" she says delightedly. She had liked the quaggan in the game, and had hoped to get to know her better.

"Tiffany?" Shashoo checks.

"Yes, and Beorn. How is the new village coming along?"

"Quaggans are doing very well," Shashoo says contentedly. "Quaggans' village is almost done being built. Some others from Lion's Arch have been helping us, and another quaggan village has already joined us."

"That's great!" Tiffany replies in delight. "I'd come check it out, but I'm on the way to a mission."

"More Vigil missions?" Shashoo asks. "Like when you helped us?"

Tiffany chuckles. "That wasn't exactly a Vigil mission, but yes."

"Can you tell the nice Warmaster you were with when you were at Falooaloo on Friday that the quaggans of Falooaloo will be happy to help the Vigil if they need it, against the dragons?"

"I would be happy to relay your message, Shashoo," Tiffany smiles. "At the same time, if you ever need any help, the Vigil would be happy to help you again. It's what we do."

"Thank you, Tiffany. You are so kind."

"So are you. You took in all those quaggan from the other village."

Before Shashoo can reply, Beorn pushes forward and looks at her.

Tiffany laughs. "Watch out, Shashoo. He wants to say hello."

"Why should I watch out?"

"Bears say hello by licking you," Tiffany informs her gravely. At Shashoo's perturbed but curious look, Tiffany doubles over laughing. When she recovers, she adds, "But Beorn has lived with me for the last twenty years. He knows most people don't take kindly. I generally say his hellos for him, because bears can't speak Tyrian."

Shashoo breaks out in a grin. "I have to collect supplies from the Black Lion Trading Company, but you should come visit New Falooaloo sometime."

"We will," Tiffany promises. "I'll make sure to bring Fiona with us, too!"

"Orinoo will love that. Goodbye."

The quaggan and human part ways, and Tiffany continues to Vigil Keep.

* * *

Tiffany asks a recruit where Snowblind waypoint is. She knows it's near, and recalls seeing it on a list of waypoints in the area.

"Leave the Keep and take the road south, until it makes a V-turn. Follow that, the next waypoint you come to is Snowblind," the recruit informs her.

"Thanks," she replies, before setting out. It doesn't take her long, and at Snowblind there is a grumpy norn.

"Crusader Thurkill, reporting!" the norn tells her, saluting. "Have you been briefed on the problem?"

"Not really," Tiffany responds.

"A week ago, General Almorra sent our squad to check out some curious dredge activity in the Shiverpeaks north of Hoelbrak. We were told of a lot of dead bodies with crazy wounds, and began trying to figure out the problem. Unfortunately, both the Durmand Priory and the Order of Whispers are involved in this mess. Last night, near Moldary Point near Valslake," here, Crusader Thurkill draws out a map and shows her the location marked there. "The squad that you were going to take control of was ambushed, and all of them slain. They all have the same odd wounds on their bodies. I called another squad from the Vigil Keep to end the dredge in the area - they left for Valslake earlier this morning - but then I was contacted by Skarti, son of Knut Whitebear, this morning, and told to come to Hoelbrak to let a neutral party sort out the problem between the Orders. That was just before I came here. It is your place to figure this mess out, Crusader."

"Understood, Crusader Thurkill," Tiffany replies. "Hoelbrak, you said? Where?"

"The Great Lodge." Thurkill hands her the now-folded map.

"Alright, I'll head there. Thank you for the information."

Crusader Thurkill nods sharply, before waypointing away. Tiffany waypoints to Lion's Arch and takes the asura gate to Hoelbrak, before heading to the Great Lodge.

* * *

At the Great Lodge, Tiffany sees a Whispers Agent and Priory Scholar - she can tell by the fact that both are wearing the colors of their Order - are facing another norn and Eir. Tiffany feels small - all these are norn. She is the only human.

"Who are you?" the other norn asks.

"I am a Crusader of the Vigil, Tiffany Tassof," Tiffany replies. "I was put in charge of the unit dealing with the dredge problem today." She sees the Whispers Agent glance at her curiously.

"Have you been briefed on the situation?" the other norn asks.

"Briefly," Tiffany reponds, cracking a smile. "I know the problem, the disagreement, and the location. My concern is that my squad was ambushed and killed by these dredge."

"I am Agent Ifwyn, of the Order of Whispers. We have heard rumors that the dredge are planning to attack Scholar's Cleft, a Priory facility in that area." the Whispers Agent informs her.

"We can't let that happen," the Priory member shakes his head. "I'm Scholar Prott, by the way. The dredge can't get control of the research the Priory is doing at Scholar's Cleft. It's too important."

"We also can't just forget about the soldiers who died to the dredge," Tiffany reminds them. "What sort of research is going on in Scholar's Cleft?"

"Elder Dragon research, primarily on Jormag," Prott informs her. "We can't just let it fall to the dredge."

Tiffany suddenly understands why the three Orders have constant friction. She herself is torn equally between going to help the Priory and insisting on finding out what happened to her squad. She had never expected to find herself in this situation.

"What say you, Eir?" the other norn asks.

"I'm afraid I have to agree with the Priory," Eir says. "Protecting the lives of the still living is better than avenging those already dead."

Tiffany blinks. ' _Wait, is this supposed to be the norn level 30 mission? And Eir is standing in for the Slayer because there is no Slayer? That makes a lot of sense. In that case, I'm the Vigil representative. Heh_.'

"Eir has spoken!" the other norn proclaims.

"I approve," Agent Ifwyn says. "I think this is bigger than frisky dredge and lost patrols."

' _I get the same feeling. But why?_ ' Tiffany wonders. "I'll go and investigate my fallen squad on my own, then." she informs the others.

* * *

The gathering breaks apart, and Tiffany leaves the area. She checks her map for the location again, before waypointing to Snowdrift Haven waypoint, north of Moldary Point.

After journeying south to Valslake, she finds Moldary Point easily enough. There are bodies wearing Vigil armor all over the place.

' _This must be the second squad Crusader Thurkill sent,_ ' she realizes. ' _But there are no dredge bodies. These are Vigil, they wouldn't have gone down without a fight. If the dredge were picking them off from afar, they would have found cover._ '

She picks her way through the bodies, examining them. The wounds inflicted aren't bleeding, but rather seem to have been inflicted by... not any weapon that she knows of. It's like someone squeezed the soldier at one specific point until he died, just all once. Like they'd been _compressed_ or something. Perhaps an explosion happened near them? But the wounds don't match very well. There is a separate wound on each soldier, not a single explosion from one source. Tiffany can't figure out what the wounds are. They make no sense.

' _I am going crazy, unable to identify this wound!_ ' Tiffany thinks in frustration. ' _And all of the soldiers have this sort of wound!_ '

Coming to a large wooden post that is very splintered, she looks at it carefully. ' _So this weapon splinters wood. Again, like it was bombed._ '

The nearby body has red welts on her wrists. There is a fragment of rope nearby. Tiffany puts this together with the post. ' _They were captured. Tortured, maybe? But no sign of blood on most of these bodies._ '

There is what seems to be a metal beam of some sort nearby, badly twisted so that Tiffany can't figure out what it once was. The ground is blackened, the snow melted. A half-burned plank lies nearby. It all seems to radiate from a single spot.

Tiffany works her way to the mouth of the cave, within which is the dredge mine. Two deep ruts, like what can be seen on a dirt road, lead into the cave. Except that these furrows are permanent, meaning they continue without bumping up and down like normal ruts. Like someone dug two parallel trenches. Tiffany frowns. These must be the tracks of the weapon.

She glances back at the bodies. The layout is methodic, now she is looking at it from a distance. The posts are in a grid-pattern, with bodies nearby. One or two had bled from the wounds, but only those closest to her.

' _They are testing their weapon on Vigil soldiers!_ ' Tiffany realizes. ' _Good Vigil soldiers, used as test fodder? What is the world coming to?_ '

Beorn sends her a feeling of 'I-don't-know'. The mental association with that comes because it is what Tiffany feels when she shrugs for the same reason.

She snorts. ' _I have no frinking idea. I only got here three or four months ago, remember? But how did I never hear about this in-game? Actually, I probably would have, if I'd played a norn. I'm fairly sure I'm the Vigil representative for the level thirty quest. If I had any idea what it was, it would help._ '

She sighs. The tracks are fresh, and according to Crusader Thurkill, this group only arrived this morning. They still had to be captured, tied up, and experimented on in the remaining time. The very phrase 'experimented on' sends chills running up Tiffany's spine, along with cold fury from Beorn.

She turns and follows the tracks inside the cave, finding dredge around the first corner.

"Another Vigil victim!" the first one cries. "To arms!"

Tiffany snorts. "Who is your master? Why are you doing this?" she demands. Hoping for answers and not violence, she crosses her arms rather than reaching for her axes or bow. However, she is ready to draw her hidden knives at a moment's notice.

One dredge approaches her and she kicks it hard. The dredge stumbles back with a cry. But Tiffany still doesn't reach for her visible weapons. "Why are you doing this? Testing a weapon on helpless Vigil soldiers?"

"Vyacheslav commands it!" the dredge informs her. "Vyacheslav will help us get rid of the last oppressor dwarf."

"And you can't test your weapons on _in_ animate objects? Like the post I found outside this cave?"

"Do _you_ want to be tested on?" the dredge snarls at her. He seems to be the leader of the group at this location.

"You haven't approached me since I kicked you. I'm also good at dodging." Tiffany informs them. "What does this weapon do?"

"It's a secret," another dredge cries.

" _Are_ you idiots?" Tiffany sighs. "Do I need to prove I am quite capable at offense as well as defense?"

"I'd like to see you try," the lead dredge sneers, moving forward in attack.

"Alright," Tiffany says simply. A moment later he is dead, a knife through his heart. Tiffany stoops and draws the knife out. She straightens up, twirling the knife in her hand lazily. "Will you tell me what I want to know?"

The dredge are frozen in fear.

"I won't hurt you if you give me information."

"Vyacheslav has been gathering dredge from all around, telling them that we finally have a chance to end the last dwarf, Ogden Stonehealer, although he resides at the Durmand Priory. He has been issuing commands for the last couple weeks, instructing us on building weapons. The one we have here is one of the earlier prototypes. The one you just killed had more information."

"What type of weapon?"

"Vyacheslav calls it the Sonic Vaporizer," the dredge responds. "I don't know any more."

"Where else are dredge teams working on this weapon?"

"Underburg, Molenheide, Molevon Portage, and Molengrad are the only ones we know of," the dredge replies.

"Very well," Tiffany says. "I won't hurt you. But if I find any more... _test subjects_ of yours around this area, you won't see me coming. Understand?"

"Yes, yes!" the dredge chorus.

"Good. I'll leave you alone now."

Tiffany turns and strides out the cave, still seething. Looking at all the Vigil bodies, she feels lost. The different races all have different procedures for burial - she is sure the norn have some rituals to undergo (Eir's death as an example). The sylvari either probably don't or probably do - sylvari are hard to understand.

Just then, a Lionguard approaches from the north.

"What happened here?" the asura asks, surprised.

"Dredge and test subjects," Tiffany replies mournfully. "I have no idea what to do with all these bodies."

The asura huffs in sympathy.

"I was going to inform the Vigil, but we're way out in the Shiverpeaks, and the Vigil is in Kryta."

The asura picks his way among the bodies. Suddenly, she gasps sharply. "Ciall!"

"Did you know him?" Tiffany asks.

"Know him? He was my friend! And these were his friends. Kalf, Hanne, Conri... I'll deal with the bodies, miss." the asura's voice is laced with grief.

"You know them better than I do," Tiffany responds.

"Go. Just go," the asura says sadly.

* * *

Tiffany waypoints back to Hoelbrak, to check and see if the Priory expedition has returned. Scholar Prott and Agent Ifwyn are there already, but Eir is not.

"Did anything happen?" she asks.

"The dredge did attack Scholar's Cleft." Scholar Prott reports. "They were led by a dredge named Vyacheslav. They killed most of the scholars there for a book on architechture."

"So much death over a book," Eir says from the doorway. She looks tired.

"So much death by Vyacheslav's command," Tiffany agrees. "Another Vigil patrol was killed as target practice for a new sonic weapon that Vyacheslav calls the Sonic Vaporizer. The results were varying in the bodies I found; some bled, some didn't. Some wreckage I found was burnt."

"They're using Vigil soldiers as test subjects?" Prott demands. "That is no way to conduct research."

"I quite agree." Tiffany nods. "I questioned the dredge responsible heavily, but they didn't know much beyond that, besides that their target is Ogden Stonehealer of the Durmand Priory, and a list of locations this specific faction of dredge listening to Vyacheslav are operating in."

"Of course," Prott sighs. "The dredge. Are after Ogden. _Again_."

"The dredge don't like the dwarves much, do they," Tiffany comments with a rueful expression. ' _I do know the dredge got up to something else sometime... dredge... dredge... dredge and Flame Legion. The Molten Alliance. That's right._ ' "What's next?"

"What are those locations you got from the dredge?"

"Underburg, Molenheide, Molevon Portage, and Molengrad," Tiffany reports promptly.

"We should check out Underburg, in that case," Agent Ifwyn says decidedly. "The Order of Whispers has a spy there, he might know more."

"I have to warn the Priory and Ogden about the dredge," Scholar Prott decides. "You decide how to deal with the weapon."

"I'll check out Molenheide," Tiffany agrees. "I wouldn't bet on Vyacheslav being where the weapon is."

"It looks like you've got this one figured out without my input," Eir remarks. "I'm happy to see the Orders beginning to work together."

Agent Ifwyn nods and leaves the Great Lodge.

"If you don't mind, Tiffany, I'd like to accompany you," Eir asks, turning to the Crusader.

"I don't mind at all," Tiffany responds. "I'll be glad to have you with me."

* * *

The two rangers travel to Molenheide, which is near where Tiffany met Thurkill that morning.

Along the way, Eir asks about Beorn. Tiffany, realizing that the last time she met Eir, she thought Beorn was dead, explains what had happened.

"I'm happy for you. The loss of a companion to battle is a terrible thing. I'm glad he didn't really die."

Tiffany gets the feeling Eir is not totally referring to animal companions. If she knows Eir, she is also referring to Snaff's death. Tiffany represses a smile. She loves reading her friends and knowing what they are talking about.

Tiffany and Eir confront the dredge of Molenheide in the same manner, and they know more about the weapon. It shrieks the cry of captive Icebrood, subsonically amplified so that it can crush stone.

But the dredge won't say any more. They seem terrified for their lives. They try to attack the pair after answering Eir's first question, but the four easily kill a couple of them, at which point the others draw back.

"Tell me where the weapon is!" Tiffany demands.

" _Mark III Sonic Vaporizer is being tested! Caution! Mark III Sonic Vaporizer is being tested!_ " the voice rolls throughout the dredge caverns, amplified to bounce off the walls of the dredge tunnels.

' _It's here!_ ' Tiffany realizes. She glances at Eir, who has realized it too.

Then, the rest of the dredge in the room attack them. Tiffany, Eir, and their companions defend themselves, before trying to follow the voice that is still rumbling throughout Molenheide, which they quickly find is impossible.

" _All dredge to report to corridor twenty-six, sector C. Repeat: all dredge to report to corridor twenty-six, sector C. Mark III Sonic Vaporizer is being tested. Caution..._ "

"The passageways will be empty," Eir notes. "We should see if we can find anything else of importance."

Tiffany nods in agreement. "Beorn can explore separate from me, and find his way back through the empathic bond. It'll help the search."

"Garm can do the same," Eir agrees, and the two four-footed friends bound off in opposite directions.

After about half an hour of searching the tunnels and rooms, Eir pauses. "Garm has found something of importance. Follow me."

Tiffany nods, calling Beorn after her and following Eir through the network of tunnels. She winds her way expertly through them as if she knows the place.

"How do you know where to go?" Tiffany asks.

"Garm is sending me directions," Eir replies simply.

Tiffany's eyes open wide in shock. Eir's bond with Garm must have been growing steadily for years and years on end to achieve that level of explicit communication!

Beorn's questioning feeling flows through the bond. He doesn't know more than the shady outlines of what had happened, but he knows it is about Eir's bond with Garm, the astonishment from Tiffany telling him it must be larger than normal.

Suddenly, an ear-splitting, high-pitched, demonic-sounding shriek bellows through the caverns. Eir's eyes widen in horror. A horrendous _**CRACK**_ is heard, and then a roar as of a rockslide echoes dully through the corridors.

Beorn freaks out through the connection. If Tiffany hadn't been connected with Beorn, she would have thought he was startled at the loud noise, but it is a danger warning. Beorn is in danger.

She glances back the way she came, and sees Icebrood rushing towards them. "Eir, Icebrood!" she warns, pulling her axes from their loops at her waist at leaping forward, anxiety for Beorn driving her swings.

Eir is beside her, axes in hand, spinning with a deadly grace through the oncoming Icebrood, chopping heads off with her axes. She did not need Tiffany's warning - she knows that cry. It sounds too similar to the Dragonspawn for comfort.

The knife on Tiffany's right elbow pierces an Icebrood, and as Tiffany turns, it twists within the body of the frozen monstrosity. It shatters, spitting shards of ice into Tiffany's surprised face.

"They're fully hardened," Eir remarks, lunging for the nearest Icebrood, her form blurring into that of a wolf with reddish fur. She rakes claws at Icebrood, piercing and shattering them.

Tiffany, recalling the phrase from _Edge of Destiny_ , slips her axes back in place, takes the knives strapped to her wrists and stabs, twists, and turns to the next Icebrood.

The two rangers leave a trail of shards down the hallway, carefully working their way to Beorn, who is still sending Tiffany frantic feelings, pressing at the bond.

Then Garm arrives and assists the two.

Beorn's panic is mounting with Tiffany's as the two slash through Icebrood towards each other. Tiffany is stabbing, twisting, and moving on rapidly, finishing Icebrood very quickly, moving closer to Beorn.

He is not far away, she can feel it. But her panic is at danger level now. Beorn is in pain and terrified.

Tiffany abandons the quest of working down the hallway and simply kills the ones in her way, pressing forward and trusting Eir and Garm to kill the ones behind her.

She stabs, twists, and continues quickly, careful to not let Icebrood weapons pierce her skin. Where are they all _coming from_ , anyway?

She reaches Beorn, who is clawing at Icebrood, decimating them before they can get near. His claws shred shards of ice off the ice minions, which triggers it shattering. He is bleeding slightly.

"Beorn, cleanse it!" she tells him as she joins him and helps clear the area around them. Beorn roars, and a trickle of blue evaporates from his wound. Tiffany quickly heals it. ' _At least we reversed it in time. It only evaporates like that if all of it was cleansed. I should ask Eir more about Icebrood._ '

The team works their way back to Eir and Garm, where the four then only have to hold off on one front.

But they are getting tired. They retreat, heading further into the dredge stronghold.

Garm leads the way, heading back to the important thing he found. They hurry onward - the Icebrood are behind them, not ahead.

Garm leads them to a small room, furnished like an office. Eir shuts the door behind them and leans on it, preventing the Icebrood from getting through.

Garm leads Tiffany to the desk in the office, which has many papers on it. Tiffany finds the plans for the Sonic Vaporizer and shows them to Eir, who frowns.

"This is big. We have to stop them."

"It shrieks the cry of captive Icebrood. Of course it's big," Tiffany grimaces. "It seems to draw Icebrood when it is used, too."

"Of course it does," Eir sighs. "Of course it does."

Tiffany returns to the desk. Near the top she finds a paper entitled _Alliance Agreement_. It is about... Tiffany has a hard time keeping her face neutral. The Molten Alliance. And, of course, Scarlet Briar is at the center. ' _This_ _ **is**_ _bigger than frisky dredge and lost patrols,_ ' Tiffany realizes. ' _This is the fate of Tyria against Mordremoth._ '

Scarlet showed the dredge how to safely capture Ice dragon minions, and how to record their cries. The dredge amplified it to become a weapon under Scarlet's direction. Then she pointed them at the Durmand Priory and Ogden Stonehealer. Scarlet aided the Flame Legion similarly, helping them develop some flame magic and pointing them at the other charr Legions. In return for her help, the dredge agreed to form an alliance with Flame Legion, and aid Scarlet when she requires it, and the Flame Legion agreed to form an alliance with dredge, and help Scarlet when she requires it.

It is signed by Vyacheslav, on behalf of the dredge, Gaheron Baelfire, on behalf of a sect of Flame Legion, and Scarlet Briar. Tiffany knows that name - Gaheron Baelfire. He was the Flame Legion fanatic who tried to become a god in that one dungeon. A group of Flame Legion must have decided to follow through with this contract after his death.

Tiffany hesitates, wondering if she should show Eir. Beorn huffs at her mentally. ' _We can't defeat Scarlet on our own,_ ' Tiffany realizes. ' _Why did I hesitate?_ '

She picks up the paper and reads it aloud to Eir.

"This sounds serious," Eir frowns. "Do we know who this Scarlet Briar is?"

A loud thump is heard on the door. Tiffany glances up, tucking the paper in her pocket.

"The Icebrood are here," Eir says unnecessarily.

"Let's get out of here, then," Tiffany replies, tucking the piece of paper into a pocket.

"Wait," Eir says, holding up a hand. She turns towards the door and opens it a sliver of a crack. When she closes the door, she looks grim. "They are passing us. If we go through now, we'll be in the middle. Is there anything more of importance in those papers?"

"Help me look," Tiffany invites, and the two rangers go through all the papers that look important. "Where are all the Icebrood coming from, anyway?"

"They are drawn by the weapon's scream," Eir replies tightly. "To my ears, it sounds similar to the Dragonspawn, one of Jormag's champions. If it was simply a loud Icebrood scream I don't think the Icebrood would flock to it, but as it sounds like a champion they will come."

"Oh. Let's get out of here soon, then. Hopefully they'll pass us up quickly."

Tiffany notices a leather-bound journal amidst the piles of papers. It has _PRIVATE_ stamped on it. There is an announcement microphone off to the side. An official-looking binder contains blueprints for other inventions and plans of attack from beforeScarlet.

Eir finds a map of the dredge tunnels, with labels. The workshop where the Sonic Vaporizer is being worked on. The testing grounds of dredge weaponry. The place some Icebrood are held for their recorded shrieks. The meetinghall of dredge where important announcements are announced. Vyacheslav's study - this room - and the exit.

"It looks like we're deep in this complex," Eir notes.

"But the Sonic Vaporizer is nearby," Tiffany adds. "We should find a way to destroy it. We have the blueprints, so the Order of Whispers and the Durmand Priory can study it. Why don't you check the door and see if the Icebrood have passed?"

Eir nods her agreement.

While she is checking the passageway, Tiffany slips the leather-bound journal into a pocket.

"They're gone," Eir reports. "Bring that map."

The four leave the room, closing the door after them. Following the route the map outlines, they find themselves in the room with the Sonic Vaporizer.

"Let's trash this thing," Tiffany declares. Eir transforms into a bear, and she, Garm, and Beorn smash it to pieces.

Before long, the weapon is dismantled and ruined. It cannot be reassembled without new parts.

Tiffany checks the map and leads them back outside, before returning to Hoelbrak.

* * *

The meeting of the representatives of the Orders takes longer to get started, this time. Ifwyn takes a while to arrive, and Josir arrives much later.

Meanwhile, Tiffany waits in the Great Lodge. Eir talks with her for a while.

"So, you know Logan?" Eir asks in a lull in the conversation.

"Very well, yes. I also know Caithe a bit. I understand you adventured together?"

"Once. But those days are over," Eir replies sadly. "We couldn't overcome our differences."

"You adventured together for a long time, how did it take so long for disagreements to arise?"

"Not... disagreements, particularly..." Eir sighs. "Someone close to us died, and..."

Tiffany nods. "I understand. Everybody blamed everybody else."

Eir nods, eyes downcast.

"Sometimes, people act oddly out of grief," Tiffany says, as if to herself. "Well, let's talk on a lighter topic, shall we? What do you think of the Sonic Vaporizer?"

* * *

 _Author's Notes:_

I decided to cut the chapter here because it was getting very long... don't worry, it'll continue in the next chapter.


	27. Chapter 27: Training Complete

SOLDIERS, SCHOLARS, AND SPIES

* * *

Summary: A glimpse of Catava's training, and a summary of the next two and a half weeks of training.

* * *

Chapter twenty-seven: Training Complete

* * *

 _Author's Notes:_

This is the last chapter of _Book Two: Soldiers, Scholars, and Spies._ The next chapter will be posted in _Book Three: United We Stand_.

 _ **Okay, here's the story now:**_

* * *

Catava is focusing on maintaining as many magical orbs of light as she can. The more, the better. Also important is how potent they are - how long-lasting are their effects, and what are they?

She had been told, earlier in the day, that she can control what they do. Up until now she had simply differentiated between good and bad people and good and bad effects, and her magic and sorted out the rest, applying boons to allies and conditions to enemies.

But now she knows she can control it - if she and her allies need to move faster, she can grant them endurance and stamina to run farther, faster, and for longer. If she wants her enemies confused, she can provide that.

"Kittening mesmers are the kittening deciding factor in a kittening war!" DeGlasse had shouted at them. "If you kittens aren't better than the kittening enemies' kittening mesmers, they'll kittening _win!_ You have kittening got to have complete kittening control over your kittening surroundings, what your kittening enemies kittening think are their kittening surroundings, and the kittening competence level of your kittening allies! The stronger and better you kittens are, the more you kittens can do!"

So Catava closes her eyes and pictures her orbs in her mind, each one pulsing with a different Flow of magic. As she is currently controlling the flow of magic, she can _feel_ the essence of it, and the different things it can do. The first day of real training, outside of the endurance stuff from the first day, had been identifying different Flows of magic and what they represent.

Now, she is no expert on the different types, but magic has it's own personality, and she is channeling the deceptive, Slytheriny type with mesmer magic. For trivial everyday use she would have to convince the magic how it was deceptive or something. Hence why illusions are mesmers' specialty; they are literally messing with their enemies most valuable sense - sight. Sound is next, followed by touch, then smell and taste.

A really, really, _really_ accomplished mesmer could make an enemy think the world was different - generally mesmers do not get that good, and an enemy will check his/her other sense to be sure, and if all senses agree, then it must be true. However, in all history, Lyssa, human Goddess of Illusion, had ever reached that level of potential. And, even for her, with a lot of training. Sure, other mesmers had mastered all the Flows - but putting them all together like that? No.

DeGlasse had told them that that is a good mesmer's ally, and that the mesmeric side of magic loves that. Deceiving an enemy by their own preconceived notions of how it works? It's literally the reason for the existence of mesmer magic.

Exceptional people - the level of exceptional a PC (in comparison with NPCs) would be if the PC was one of the Six (or just lucky enough to be able to touch more than one Aspect without being good at it - or maybe if multiclassing was a thing in GW2 ) - can channel more than one Aspect of magic - there is the deceptive, mesmeric magic, which thieves use to a lesser extent, the natural elementalist magic, the deathly necromantic magic, the purely energetic warrior magic, and the protective guardian magic.

' _And the ancient revenenant magic,_ ' Catava smirks mentally.

All the Aspects are related somehow - necromantic magic is not entirely natural the way elementalist magic is, but it deals with death, which is natural, and messes it up. Which is what magic is - takes normal things and messes them up. Thieves have a much lesser degree of aptitude to mesmer magic, and it is called different things - when a mesmer veils themselves or others from sight, it is called veiling. With thieves, it is stealth.

Catava wonders if thieves, so often out of the way and not drawing attention to themselves, like to appear even more so when they can be seen - hence calling themselves _thieves_ and what they do _stealth_ and _shadowstep_ \- it all sounds so much more mysterious that way.

But she returns her attention to the power, variety, and amount of her magical orbs, identifying each Flow of the Aspect of Deception within each orb. At the moment, she is using the Flow of Energy. Using those, she can stimulate the adrenal glands of a person to give them an adrenaline rush, to make them go faster or hit harder or something.

So that is what she is doing, pressing her mind to it's utmost capacity for belief and imagination, expanding her capabilities. That is what this excercise is for.

* * *

Later that afternoon, Catava is waiting near the entrance to the Academy, veiled, of course, with a clone in the female Common Room. When Tiffany comes, she will be able to veil her.

Tiffany returns with a spring in her step.

"Kasmeer," Catava says as she applies her sister's disguise. "How'd it go?"

Kasmeer shrugs. "Well, depends. The squad I was supposed to take control of was ambushed and killed by dredge. The Priory and Order of Whispers are involved in the dredge problem, too, and I was to meet with representatives from those Orders in Hoelbrak."

" **Sounds like a level thirty quest,** " Catava comments in Shilgni.

" **I think it was, too** ," Kasmeer agrees. "Anyway, Scholar's Cleft, further west than Lashoosh is, was going to be attacked by dredge. But I needed to go check on my squad. So I went and did that, and learned about the Sonic Vaporizer. I brought my information back to Hoelbrak with the others, and we figured out that the dredge's leader is Vyacheslav. The dredge had provided me with a list of locations. Agent Ifwyn - who kept looking at me oddly, and I figured out it was that in-training aura Bor told you about - went to Underburg, because the Order has a spy. I went to Molenheide with Eir, and trashed their weapon. **And found out that Scarlet Briar is behind it all. I'll have to find out how to stop her.** Anyway, a couple Whispers mesmers are going to disguise themselves as dredge and ensure that the weapon keeps not being ready to attack the Priory. They're trying to kill Ogden Stonehealer."

"Not again," Catava groans.

"Agent Ifwyn promised to keep us updated on everything concerning that particular dredge plan. **If he uncovers anything more about Scarlet - like, where she is - I'm going after her. I already brought my information - not the future stuff - to General Almorra, and updated her on the mission. She approved, and told me she would be looking over that information. I do have another piece of information - a journal - but I like knowing things, so I'll soak that up before handing it in.** "

"Good thinking," Catava remarks.

Kasmeer nods. "I also took a side trip to the tavern and told the others about Beorn."

"Oh. We never went and told them, did we?" Catava realizes.

"Nope. I learned some things about Icebrood, though. Beorn got a small wound from one, but he cleansed it before it did anything too bad. Eir told me that, as his companion, I would feel it mentally when it was too late, or almost so."

"Scary," Catava comments, getting quiet.

Back at the Common Room, the two sisters discuss things for a while, before Kasmeer brings out _Edge of Destiny_ again.

* * *

Over the next two weeks and a half, Kasmeer and Catava are trained specifically intensively. DeGlasse had, apparently, spoken to Seraph Colandrea and told her to focus on Kasmeer especially, and since DeGlasse is the mesmer trainer, he can focus on Catava. He really is a good mesmer, as his clone teaches Ebru Kountz at the same time, and just as effectively.

Kasmeer's connection with Beorn expands rapidly, being able to communicate single words - if only when they have physical contact - by the end of the three-week training course.

Seraph Colandrea takes the recruits out of the Academy and the city to practice bond range with their companion, and she does this regularly - every Sunday morning. Kasmeer's range is now much better, but the farther away Beorn is the harder it is to communicate with him. She can only communicate single words - and _barely_ \- when he is by her side. But it is a great jump up from the previous level of bonding they had shared.

At the same time, her endurance and stamina increase through the rigorous training given, like the first day. By the end of her three weeks, she can make it all day without collapsing, and only need to sleep all that night.

She learns how to blend in to her surroundings very well, and how to scout out an enemy base without drawing attention to herself.

She learns her place on the battlefield in a large battle, and how to effectively coordinate her efforts with other professions without getting in the way or being inefficient.

She joins the 'elective' for, well, technically cooking, but she is taught how to forage her own food if she is short on time, and which plants and things are edible. Catava joins that, too.

Both Heros learn how to survive solo if their partner is killed or missing, how to effectively kill centaurs, and other things like that. Kasmeer and Catava each become equally proficient with their weapons of choice.

DeGlasse, when assigning partners cross-profession, does his best to ensure that Kasmeer and Catava are never assigned together - they already coordinate wonderfully, and they need to learn how to partner with other professions.

On Saturday afternoons, a sit-down-and-listen-to-what-your-are-told class is held, instructing them on leadership capabilities for when (if) they get promoted. On Sunday afternoons, a mock battle is held between illusions (only the recruits aren't told that) of centaurs and the recruits, to test their learning.

The same thing is done for defending a Seraph outpost, under multiple circumstances - have the gates or doors been busted open, are they using cannons or do the centaurs have a shaman with them...

They are taught how to patrol, in case they are assigned to that duty, how the trial system works for criminals, and other typical police work.

Kasmeer, Catava, and the other recruits are very tired by the end of each day.

* * *

Catava's training consists of building up her mental fortitude, identifying all possible combinations for Flows of the Aspect of Deception, and using them. DeGlasse trains her roughly, pushing her to the limits. By the end of the three weeks, she can conjure up to thirty of her orbs at once.

She trains the Flow of Senses rigorously, and by the end of the three weeks she can hold up to ten illusions of herself through imagination magic, comfortably. That number jumps up to twenty when she uses belief magic. 'Comfortably' means that resting her mind all night is sufficient - before Seraph training, she wouldn't have even been able to hold that many in the first place, much less not need to rest her mind after.

Her routine use of her special sound enchantment attracts her interest to the sound aspect of the Flow of Senses, and she soon figures out how to simulate a voice other than hers - she could speak through her illusions before because she was using _her_ voice, through _her_ illusions. But now she can do others' voices, and without needing to have an illusion basing it. She specifically figures out how to do Kasmeer Inafit's voice, in case she ever gets dumbstruck by meeting somebody from the future like she had with Trahearne the first time. Which Catava still teases her about occasionally. As does Ibu, when she hears of it.

The constant maintaining of the disguises of Kasmeer and Catava strengthens Catava's mental multi-tasking, especially when Kasmeer is away on Vigil missions and Catava has to simulate all of Kasmeer, not just what she looks like.

At the end of the three weeks, Catava has mastered two of the Flows of the Flow of Senses - the Visual Flow and the Sound Flow. The Feeling Flow she is less good at - she can make solid illusions, but true mastery of that Flow is when she can make somebody feel something without needing a base of illusion. The lesser Flows of Taste and Smell she hasn't touched - if she creates an illusion of food, she can make it feel like food, but it won't taste like anything. At all. Same for smell.

The Visual Flow is the main Flow in the Senses category - most anything can be done if it has a base in a Visual illusion. Mastery of the other Sense Flows means being able to use a Flow - like Sound or Feeling - without a visual base.

Catava's first testing is how well she knows the Visual Flow - and she knows it inside and out. Then DeGlasse asks how well she knows the Sound Flow, which Catava does not know so well. She is good at basing it in Visual, and can do some tricks - like the sound enchantment she uses with Kasmeer when reading _Edge of Destiny_ or talking about earth things - but she can't really do it.

DeGlasse decides that she will master the Sound Flow - being able to use it without a Visual base. Once she masters that, he teaches her a little bit of the Feeling Flow - enough so that she can base it in a Visual Flow, or, make illusions solid. By that time the three weeks of training are over.

Catava progresses further than most mesmers, mastering Visual, Sound, and a little bit of Feeling - or the Solid Flow, which is the name for Feeling based in Visual. Most mesmers don't get far beyond the Speak Flow, which is the name for Sound based in Visual.

The Flow of Senses is the biggest arc for a mesmer to learn - the other main Flows in the Aspect of Deception are secondary to Senses, and generally are powerless alone.

The Flow of Strength is used to bolster the Flow of Senses - for example, a person who has mastered Feeling can use Strength to make another person actually stronger. For Catava, she uses the Flow of Strength to make her clones stronger and more capable.

The Flow of Energy is similar to Strength, but instead of strength, energy. It does things such as boosting endurance and stamina, or manipulating adrenaline. The Flow of Energy, however, is unique in that, even for beginners, does not need a base in the Visual Flow, rather, it just needs Senses magic - a little from all three to influence the general body of a person.

The Flows of Energy and Strength are what the Seraph values most in mesmers, and so Catava has completely mastered those.

The Flow of Vitality is the healing Flow, and when used with, for example, the Visual Flow, can be used to heal a person's sight. This Flow is exceedingly advanced, and DeGlasse doesn't ever try to cover it, even with Catava.

* * *

 _Author's Notes:_

Short chapter, yeah, but this is the end of _Book Two: Soldiers, Scholars, and Spies_. I'm giving you a break - meaning that you get time to think over this last chapter just because. Don't worry, the next chapter will be out by tomorrow.

Catava's mesmer training was kind of split in two in this chapter - there was some at the beginning and some at the end... you might want to go read the beginning again, you might understand it better...


End file.
